


The Bump

by ArtemisArcher83



Series: B Series [2]
Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: Artefact Pregnancy, F/F, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 17:02:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 77,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4713653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisArcher83/pseuds/ArtemisArcher83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(As posted on FFN) Sequel to my story 'The Bubble'. Follows Myka, HG and Christina, with a few of the other characters mixed in now and then, and possibly some OCs in the future. Mostly fluffy. Eventual 'Happy Ever After' in mind. Now that HG has her daughter and the woman she loves, what will the future hold, and will Myka be able to help her deal with her fears so they can live a normal-ish life?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Myka stood in front of the full length mirror in her room and gave her outfit a quick once over. Having spent the last week in either jeans or lounge pants, she was happy to be wearing a suit again. Something about business attire made her feel in charge and being in the right frame of mind was vital in her line of work.

She grabbed her jacket from the foot of the bed and shrugged her shoulders into it, avoiding the exaggerated pout that was being directed at her from the open doorway. She gave one last tug to the hem of her favourite blue shirt and stepped over to greet her petulant observer.

“Helena, you’re pouting. Just yesterday, I heard you telling Christina that it was ‘unbecoming of a lady to stick out her bottom lip in order to derive extravagant favours from others’.” She gathered the raven-haired woman’s hands in her own and placed a brief kiss on the prominent item in question.

“Your argument is flawed darling,” the Victorian insisted behind a sly smile.

“Is it?” Myka cocked her head to one side and looked the inventor up and down as she nodded authoritatively. “How so?”

HG pulled the agent in closer to her body and smirked when green eyes dipped briefly bellow her open shirt, the pupils dilating automatically. “Wanting you at home with me is not extravagant. It’s simply necessary for my ability to continue functioning. Like a weather-vane needs the wind to turn it; like a dew laden web needs the rising sun to reveal its beauty; like a timid child needs the dawn to chase away the demons lurking in the dark; I need you to bring out the best in me.” Her now serious gaze met Myka’s and then dropped suddenly to where her hands played with the agent’s collar. “How will you do that if you are not here?”

Recognising that the playfulness that often sat between them had left the room, Agent Bering ushered the writer inside and led her to the bed. “Helena, it’s been two weeks since Paris. You know that’s considered more than enough time to recover from a difficult artefact hunt. The Warehouse had a ping yesterday and two more this morning; I’m needed back at work.” She placed two fingers under the Victorian’s chin and tilted her head until their eyes met again. “That doesn’t mean I want to leave you or won’t be thinking about being right here by your side.” She paused and felt her mouth quirking up at the corner. “That was beautiful by the way; what you said about needing me. Your words have such power over me.”

Helena smiled ruefully, her head cantered to the side as she accepted the compliment. “Well... If they really had any power I would not be still waiting for you to leave. Indeed, we would not be having this conversation at all.” She continued to tease the opening of Myka’s shirt without thought. A subconscious effort perhaps to hold on and never let go. “Am I being desperately pathetic? I can’t remember ever being this...”

Myka watched HG search for a word but didn’t need to spend long thinking of one of her own. “Clingy?”

HG considered the offering and nodded with clear distaste. “Yes, that will do nicely; it has a rather deplorably dependant twang to it,” she said with loathing. “Why is this so damned difficult?”

Myka pulled Helena into a firm hug, her arms wrapping around tense shoulders, feeling shaky hands settle on her back as she spoke into raven hair. “You’re trying to separate emotion and logic,” she hypothesised. “Logically, you know that my job is important and that I’m a good agent who knows what she’d doing. At some point I will have to leave this house, whether it’s to work at the Warehouse or anywhere else.”

“You need not work at all darling, if you so desire. I have more than enough money to keep the three of us comfortable for a very long time,” HG informed the agent, a petulant tone still in her voice.

The curly haired brunette moved back to observe the inventor as she responded. “O.K. I vote we talk a bit more about that later.” HG nodded with a smile and Myka, feeling the need to keep contact, took slender hands into her own.

“You were saying, Dr. Freud?” HG teased.

“Right. So, logically, I think you have confidence in me, but emotionally... Emotionally you’re afraid that this will be the beginning of where things begin to fall apart again. You said so yourself, that having me and Christina around together is like finally having a real family. No one relishes the thought of losing that, Helena. It’s not pathetic to want to hold us all together. Most people don’t really think about the what ifs. With you it’s less about ‘what if’ and more about ‘what has been and what could be again’.” She watched the tears well up in dark eyes and wished immediately that she could take her words back. “I’m sorry, I’m being too harsh; saying too much.”

“No, no.” HG shook her head and wiped away the tears that had dared to escape. “They are astute observations Myka. I’m not sure how to make these feelings go away however. I am trying,” she added, desperately wanting the curly haired brunette to believe that she could get better.

Since returning from Paris and spending her first night back in the B&B in Myka’s arms, Helena had been reluctant to let either her daughter or the woman she loved out of her sight. It wasn’t something she planned to do but rather, when either took it upon themselves to wander, HG found herself envisioning the terrible things that could happen with even the most mundane tasks. When these thoughts overwhelmed her, she fabricated some reason for them to spend time together and often found Myka’s arms around her, a kiss on the forehead and a few reassuring words before they read, played or cooked together.

The Victorian knew that Myka saw right through her excuses and admired the patience and understanding that was given without question, but worried that someday soon, Myka would come to her senses and realise that she was caring for a woman who perhaps belonged in bedlam. That the young agent was getting nothing from a relationship that was heaped with responsibility with very little reward.

HG’s mind was far too occupied currently to put her heart into the physical intimacies that had been the bedrock of their relationship for a time. She knew that Myka couldn’t put her desires on hold forever and didn’t want her to have to, but she wondered when or even in she would ever feel those desires in full again; their occurrences were still infrequent.

Myka held the writer close, unaware of the demons she was temporarily chasing away. “I know you are, Helena. And we already have everything we need; time and each other. Small steps, ok? That’s how we’re gonna beat this.”

Myka wanted to say more, to give HG every reassurance she needed to feel confident in herself again, but knew that words wouldn’t be much more than a balm to the long-term healing that was needed.

The intimate quiet that surrounded them was suddenly broken by a loud hollering from downstairs. Claudia held nothing back as she unknowingly broke the moment. “Myka! Get your groove on girl; we gotta go before Arthur-ella blows a gasket!”

HG reluctantly but deliberately drew away from Myka, kissed her briefly on the cheek and whispered a choked, “I will see you later, darling. Be careful.” She left the room without a backward glance.

Myka wasn’t offended by her behaviour; she recognised how difficult their current situation was to Helena and was dedicated to giving the writer as much time as she needed to find her feet. Honestly, she was relieved that she had time to figure out what this meant to her.

She knew that she loved Helena and Christina and couldn’t envision ever being apart from them, but the idea of being physically intimate with her again was frightening. Where her waking hours were spent helping Helena to the point where she could crush her own fears, her night were becoming increasingly fraught with uncomfortable dreams where she returned to the scenes of Helena’s betrayal.

She wasn’t sure that she was ready to give up that control again after her trust had been broken so cleanly and coldly... and without her having had any idea that it was going to happen.

Christina waited for her on the landing and wrapped both arms tightly around Myka’s neck as she hugged her goodbye. The girl had voiced her disappointment the previous evening that they wouldn’t be able to spend the day together, but overall she was adapting very well to her new environment and was at least not afraid to let Myka go.

“Will you be home for tea, Myka?” Christina asked hopefully, pulling back from the hug to look into green eyes.

Myka smiled sadly. “I’m not sure sweetheart.” She tucked a wavy lock behind a petite ear and knelt down to eye-level. “Pete and I have to fly out to Ontario, in Canada, to retrieve something for Artie. If we’re lucky and quick we might be able to get home tonight, but sometimes it takes a couple of days. I won’t know ‘til we get there.”

“You have to get something for the Warehouse,” the young Victorian concluded for the agent.

Before Myka could reply, heavy footsteps reached the top of the stairs and Pete’s voice came from behind her.

“Mykes, I’m sorry, but we gotta go now. Artie wants to fill us in before our flight.” His eyes told her that the last thing he wanted to do was drag her away, but he didn’t have much choice in the matter. He stepped towards the young Wells and ruffled her hair affectionately. “Hey CJ, you gonna take care of your mom and Leena? Save me some cookies ok?”

Christina grinned at him but the voice that answered came from the doorway of the inventor’s room. “Must you call my daughter that?”

Myka glanced up at Helena and noticed right away that she had been crying. She felt her stomach drop and a powerful urge to pull the other woman into her arms and never let go. _Patience, Myka._ She told herself firmly. _Small steps, remember? A day or two apart might be just what you both need to start healing._ Myka refocused on the figure in front of her and smiled at the familiar waywardness that Christina had inherited from HG.

The girl in question left Myka’s side to wrap her arms around her mother’s middle and grinned mischievously up at her. “I like it Mummy; it’s like your nickname.”

As Pete gently took Myka’s arm and began leading her away, he looked triumphantly at the irritated parent. To Christina he said, “I’ll take good care of Myka for ya CJ, and maybe we’ll bring you back a Mountie, ay?”

HG could hear Myka scolding her partner all the way down the stairs and couldn’t help smiling a little at the fellow’s ever-present joviality. Knowing that however long her love was gone would be a lingering torture, Helena set about finding tasks to distract herself. The first turned out to be explaining what a ‘Mountie’ was and why Pete was joking (she hoped) when he said he would get one for her daughter.

Myka made her way downstairs in just enough time to intercept Claudia’s brewing meltdown and finally they made it out to the car.

The redhead noticed Myka’s pensive look and forgot for a minute all about their impatient boss. “Hey Myka. HG’s gonna be ok, y’know?” She put a hand on the senior agent’s arm. “I spent some serious time in Crazy Ville; getting back to a semi-normal routine was a pain in the shorts at first, but it did help.”

“I know, Claud.” Myka turned the key in the engine and started the car. She began to pull away, throwing one last glance at HG’s window. “It doesn’t make it any easier.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Helena sat with her feet curled up under her on the small couch in the bed and breakfast’s library. A book held open in her hand and a head of wavy dark hair lying against her shoulder. She was reading The Magician’s Nephew to Christina, having heard recommendations for CS Lewis’ adventures in Narnia from Myka, Claudia and Pete. Though, the latter had been along the lines of ‘cool effects and I like the talking mouse’, to which Myka had rolled her eyes and informed her that three of the books had been made into movies. While the agent’s preference would always lie with the written word, she conceded that Christina would probably enjoy the films. They had a standing ‘family date’ for when they were finished with the books.

Myka had not made it home the previous evening, having had to chase their artefact to Vancouver. The guy who’d taken a shine to it and decided to amscray with the pile of everyday objects that he’d turned into gold, was found with the Midas stone in hand. It had taken the agents three hours to figure out how to reverse the effects and animate him again.

Helena and her daughter had spent over an hour on the phone with Myka sharing the highlights of their respective day’s activities. Christina had monopolised most of the conversation, which HG had not minded in the slightest; it was a source of delight for her, seeing the joy on the girl’s face as she recited the lessons she’d enjoyed and the slight contempt for the subjects that she thought were tedious. That she could share this experience with Myka was a miracle to be treasured.

Her sharp hearing caught the sound of a key in the lock and the familiar thudding of shoes and clatter of keys in the bowl. She didn’t realise her level of distraction until Christina bemoaned the interruption in the story, by which time Helena’s attention was completely taken up by the woman who stood smiling at her from the doorway.

“Mummy?” Christina looked up from the image of Jadis to see why her mother had stopped then turned to find the source of the distraction. As she registered Myka’s presence, she leapt up, paying no heed to the book that fell to the floor and threw herself at the agent. “Myka!”

Agent Bering let out an exaggerated, “Oof!” and toppled over, pulling the girl with her. Christina squealed with laughter as Myka began to tickle her. The moment the brunette let her escape, Pete entered and took up chase around the room, HG’s child giggling to herself every time she managed to evade his lunge.

With the young girl suitably distracted, Myka rose from her spot on the floor and lowered herself gracefully next to the inventor. She took note of the tears of relief and leant forward to brush her lips against the Brit’s.

She had only intended the kiss to be reassuring and comforting but when Helena’s hands wrapped themselves in her hair and her mouth was crushed under an eager embrace, she was swept away on a tide and lost all interest in her surroundings.

The two days apart had been just as torturous as they’d both anticipated, but Myka’s parting hypothesis that the distance was necessary for them to move forward had been spot on. Yes, she had already forgiven Helena for her betrayal, but it was only now that the American felt able to finally let go of her hurt and forget (as much as her eidetic memory allowed her) the pain that she had associated with the memory of HG’s touch. She was ready to consider a more intimate relationship and with the way the inventor was kissing her, she assumed that Helena was as well.

Both women were brought back to reality by the sound of more giggling, rapidly receding footfalls and cries of, “Mummy and Myka are kissing!”

The pair looked up to see Pete grinning at them shamelessly.

“If you guys had plans to keep this,” he waved a finger between them. “To yourselves for a while, well it’s down the pooper now.” He gave them an enthusiastic ‘thumbs up’ as he backed out of the room. “I’m going to make sure she’s not outing you to the entire town. You two, don’t make me come back with a bucket of cold water.” He winked lasciviously and ducked the shoe that Myka threw at his head before leaving the room singing ‘Myka and HG, sitting in a tree...’

“Infant,” HG muttered after him, though there was very little venom in her tone. Looking back at the agent, she smiled at the heightened colour in her cheeks. “You do blush very prettily my dear.”

Myka felt her cooling cheeks rapidly heat up again at the observation, said in what she thought of as Helena’s ‘bed-time voice’. She rolled her eyes at the chuckle that followed. “How do you manage to make anything sound so... licentious?” She grumbled under her breath.

HG chuckled again but didn’t pursue the flirtatious banter. Instead, she sighed and adopted a more sincere expression. “I know it has only been thirty-six hours, but I have missed you terribly love.”

“I think you demonstrated that quite nicely just a few moments ago,” Myka teased. She turned in her seat and stretched out on the couch, resting her head on the inventor’s lap. She looked up from her position so she could see the other woman’s changing expression. “Was that your way of telling me that you’re ready for more? I seem to remember something along the lines of ‘wanting to court me properly’.”

The inventor appeared pained for a moment before sighing in defeat. She gazed down at the American and shook her head ruefully. “That is still the plan. Though as history would remind us, I do appear to be easily distracted when you’re around.” She ran her fingers through curly hair, her thoughts drifting briefly to the many times that the agent had unknowingly disrupted her scheming.

“Helena?” Myka saw the far away look in those dark eyes and wanted to know what she was thinking about. There was a cynical voice in the back of her head that didn’t trust the inner workings of the inventor’s mind and needed to know every little detail. She knew that trust had to begin somewhere though so left it for now. She had another topic to discuss before they could be interrupted so waited until she had the other woman’s attention again.

“Sorry love, you lost me there for a minute. I do find my mind wandering an awful lot these days.” HG smiled and winked. “It must be my age catching up with me.”

Myka scoffed. “I’ve no doubt that you’ll still be giving us all the run around even when you’re ninety.”

“By then we should be celebrating my bicentennial birthday,” Helena informed the agent smugly.

“Even at two-hundred I bet you’ll still be a pain in the ass.” Myka smirked up at the raven-haired beauty and happily accepted the kiss that followed.

HG’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Only because I know that you love me that way.” Before Myka could confirm or deny the statement, Helena reminded the agent that she had started to say something.

“Oh yes, right. Well, I was thinking that it’s probably time I moved back into my own room.” She felt the other woman tense and saw a flicker of disappointment cross her face. Sensing that more explanation was needed, she sat up and turned to face the Victorian. “Please, don’t mistake me Helena. I love falling asleep next to you and... and feeling you in my arms. Last night, I barely slept at all.”

Helena’s brows drew together. “Yet you are proposing that we sleep apart in future?” She felt her natural stubbornness backing up the fear she had of losing those she loved.

“Helena,” Myka pulled the inventor’s hands into her lap. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she declared boldly and smiled at the sudden interest that passed over the Victorian’s gaze. “And I want this slow courtship that you mentioned to work... I don’t think you realise just how difficult it is for me to keep my hands to myself at times.” Myka caught the ripple of desire that passed between them and swallowed hard.

Before HG could respond, an energetic figure came bounding back into the room and jumped on the couch behind Myka. The modern era appeared to suit the young Victorian quite well; she was taking every opportunity to embrace her childish side and throw off the shackles of staid etiquette. She wrapped her arms around Myka’s neck, her eyes filled with excitement as she grinned at her mother. “Mummy, Uncle Pete has a movie of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. May I watch it with him, please?”

“Darling, we have yet to read the first novel in the series. We agreed that we would watch the more modern adaptations after reading the books.” She and Myka were both of the opinion that the power of the written word was greater than the visual equivalent, but had also both conceded that movies could be enjoyable too. HG had only stipulated that they read the books before indulging in the big-screen versions.

As a fair reader herself, Christina has seen no problem with this... at the time. Her face fell and her lower lip extended the slightest bit. “It wouldn’t be a terrible shame if it was just this once, would it Mummy?”

Helena ignored the humour in Myka’s eyes as she tried to address her daughter calmly. “No darling, it would not be a terrible shame,” she emphasised the word ‘terrible’ and Myka felt the girl’s body sag; she knew there was a condition to follow. “However, we already have an agreement in place and Myka is of the same mind,” she added, using the girl’s growing admiration towards the agent in her favour. “We don’t wish to force your enjoyment of reading.”

“I don’t think enjoyment of reading **can** be forced,” the brunette interjected.

“But you do enjoy it, love,” Helena reminded her daughter. “You have a wonderful imagination and we believe that you should experience it to its fullest, whether listening to a story or reading one by yourself.” She placed a hand under Christina’s chin and rubbed a thumb affectionately across her cheek. “Movies are wonderful things but they cannot replace what you have in here,” she made her point by tapping on the girl’s forehead.

Christina sighed in defeat. “Alright.”

Myka noticed the struggle on the Brit’s face and thought that a compromise might be in order. “How about asking Pete if you can watch Watership Down? We’ve already read it and the animation is lovely.”

The girl’s face lit up again and she shot her mother with a hopeful look. “May I, Mummy?”

Helena chuckled at the enthusiasm and nodded. “Yes darling, you may watch that.” She smiled brightly as Christina kissed her, jumped down from the couch, and then, as she was halfway out the door, ran back and kissed Myka too. “Thank you,” she said to the agent once they were alone again.

“I hoped you wouldn’t mind,” Myka said sheepishly.

“ **That** I do not mind. This business of sleeping in separate beds however...” She mock glared at the younger woman.

Myka smiled at the inventor’s attempt at a tough exterior; it was not nearly as impressive as it could be when she really meant it. “At some point Helena, you will be ready to let Christina have her own space, and at that point, I hope that we will be ready to pursue more... private activities. Until then I’d like to...” she paused as she sought for the best way to explain her needs. “Savour... the anticipation.”

Helena considered the proposal. She was less conflicted by the idea of sleeping apart from her daughter than she had been two weeks ago, but it was still a concern. “I of course see your point,” she informed Myka with the usual air of superiority that made the American smile. “I still do not see why I must be made to suffer through your absence so frequently. Is it not enough that you have to take off for days at a time?”

Myka smiled, not at all put off by her grumpy companion. “Then you’ll have to make the most of my company when I’m around, won’t you.” She grinned and laughed unabashedly as Helena picked up a pillow and hit her with it.

The impromptu attack turned into all out war as each woman put her own combat training to good use trying to get the upper hand over the other.

Whether though accident or design, Myka soon found herself pinned under the Victorian on the couch, the whole cliché of pillow fights and experimental lesbianism not lost on her. Knowing that what she had with Helena was much more than that, she put the thought quickly to one side. When the raven-haired inventor leant down to kiss her softly, she gladly accepted the gesture and didn’t protest when the simple embrace slowly smouldered into something slightly forbidden.

HG’s body moulded instinctively to Myka’s, her fingers becoming lost in wild curls and her mouth swallowing each small whimper that escaped the woman beneath her. It took every bit of self-control she had not to grind down into the agent’s hip bone. Gradually their kisses became less intense until their lips parted altogether and Helena buried her face in Myka’s neck. “You are equally irresistible love. As much as I do not wish to sleep alone, I really do see your point.”

Myka’s fingers stroked up and down the writer’s arm as she waited for the insistent throbbing in her lower regions to abate. Her body craved the other woman’s touch even as her brain insisted on waiting. She was somewhat relieved that she wasn’t the only one struggling to resist temptation.

They lay like that for over an hour before a sleepy looking eight year old reappeared in the doorway, prompting both women to begin their night-time routine. Once her pyjamas were donned, face washed, teeth brushed and she had a glass of water next to her, Christina clambered into bed and waited for the adults to take up their positions for story-time. Helena read until the two children and Strawberry were settling down to sleep on top of a mountain and then popped in a bookmark and began to tuck her daughter in.

“Goodnight my love. Sweet dreams.” She kissed the girl on the head and made space for Myka to do the same.

“Goodnight,” Christina murmured. The two women were almost at the door when the girl’s eyes opened a little wider and she called out, “Mummy?”

HG turned, curiosity warring with a touch of concern. “Yes darling?”

“I liked the movie,” the young Victorian announced, pausing for effect. “But the book was better.” She grinned even as her eyes drifted shut.

Helena shut the door softly. She shared a proud grin with the agent and entwined their hands together. Not trusting themselves to be alone in Myka’s room, in silent agreement, they retreated downstairs and joined the rest of their household in the main living room.

Steve, Artie and Leena were sequestered around the small table in the far corner of the room while Pete lounged in his favourite chair and Claudia disappeared inch by inch with her laptop into a beanbag.

Pete was the first to spot their arrival. “Is the littlest Wells all tucked in for the night?”

Myka took the end of the couch and made room for Helena to cuddle up close to her. It had only been a few nights since the Victorian had ventured away from the bedroom after tucking Christina in. The first night, she had been like a new mother, needing to check every fifteen minutes that her baby was still breathing, but gradually she was beginning to relax.

“She’s down for the count,” Myka responded with a warm smile as she felt Helena lace their fingers together. “Thanks for entertaining her for a couple of hours, Pete. It was good to be able to talk for a while.”

Claudia scoffed aloud. “Looked more like horizontal tonsil hockey to me.”

Pete made his Scooby-Doo impression, Leena and Steve smiled at one another, and Artie coughed and pretended to be engrossed in a particularly large case-file.

Helena frowned and turned to a blushing Myka. “Tonsil hockey?”

“I think Claudia may have seen us kissing on the couch,” the brunette informed the confused inventor.

“Ah,” HG exclaimed in sudden understanding. “The idea being that the tongue is a stick and the tonsils are balls. Crude, but effective as visuals go,” she thought aloud, ever analysing modern slang and deciding whether she liked it or not.

“So is this official? CJ had a lot of questions after that lip-lock of yours, some that were way too personal for me to venture into.” Pete shoved a handful of pretzels in his mouth as he looked to the two book-worms to answer.

“We’re officially exclusive,” Myka qualified after a moment of thought. “The rest is... complicated and frankly, none of your business.” Pete held his hands up in surrender his mouth rounded in a silent ‘oo-oo’.

Helena ignored the sibling banter and chewed on Myka’s words. Modern labels for relationships were confusing. “We have discussed a mutual intention to begin... dating, I believe the term is. I will sit down with Christina tomorrow and attempt to answer any questions she may have,” she added to her human pillow, who simply nodded and continued to stroke the inventor’s hair.

“So dinner, wine, a nice book reading, but no hanky-panky?” Agent Lattimer tried to simplify.

“Pete!” Myka barked, her cheeks darkening again with embarrassment and indignation.

“Dude,” Claudia drew her finger across her throat in a classic gesture to tell him to stop. “T.M.I. I’m all for equal opportunities and living vicariously, but she’s like our sister.” She pointed at Myka and pretended to gag.

“Thanks Claude.” Myka said, relieved. “I think.”

“No probs, my sister from another mister.” The young techie winked, causing the curly-haired agent to roll her eyes fondly.

From the small table at the back of the room, Artie turned to face them all and cleared his throat. “Now we’re all more informed than we ever wanted to be with Myka’s romantic leanings,” he glared at Pete.  “I have something to discuss with Miss. Wells.” Helena exchanged a curious glance with Myka before repositioning herself on the couch to see the director more clearly. “I’ve been commissioned by Mrs. Fredrick to offer you again, reinstatement as an agent of the Warehouse, if you want it,” he announced, though his tone said clearly that it hadn’t been his idea.

HG recognised Myka’s hand squeezing her own in support and instantly felt reassured. “While my opinion of the Warehouse has mellowed somewhat recently and I do have fond memories of being an agent, I am not going to prioritise Warehouse business over my daughter again.”

“Thank God for that,” Artie responded immediately, drawing more than one frown from a disapproving crowd.

“Artie!” Myka scolded, ready to rant at him again until he held a hand up to stop her.

“Now don’t get me wrong!” He raised his voice halting all protests and then looked to the time traveller, who was perhaps the least offended amongst them. “You were good when you were doing what you were supposed to be doing, but I think we both know that, for now at least, you’re not best off in the field.” Helena nodded and Myka relaxed a little, willing to see where this was going. “So, my proposal is that, from time to time, you help with research and documentation; that sort of thing. You wouldn’t actually have contact with any of the artefacts.”

Myka could see Helena contemplating the proposal but couldn’t help wanting to voice her own queries and opinions. “Would she be an agent?”

Artie tasted the question for a moment. “Yes, but she wouldn’t be expected to go on any retrievals.”

“You would give me access to everything I need to help Myka,” she paused and looked around the room, “And the others?”

“Everything that’s relevant, yes,” the director answered cautiously.

HG nodded, understanding the qualification. “I will consider it.”

Pete shook his head, not liking the sound of so much desk work. “I dunno, sounds like a lot of work without the kick-ass action that makes it worth it.”

“I believe that is the point,” HG informed him with a tolerant smile. “Besides, I will be an agent again, under Myka.” She grinned, anticipating the blush that took seconds to appear high on Myka’s cheeks.

“You’ll be under all of us HG,” Steve told her from his place at the table.

Myka’s eyes narrowed at the implication, even if it was just in jest. “She will not.” She said firmly, making Helena chuckle.

“You are rather dashing when you’re just the slightest bit possessive, darling,” the inventor flirted shamelessly.

Claudia snapped the lid of her laptop shut and fell out of the beanbag. “Aaand on that note, I’m off to bed. I’ll leave you two gooey-eyed people to do... whatever. Catch you in the mornin’ peeps!”

As Steve, Leena and Artie all moved to follow suit, Pete frowned and glanced at the clock. “It’s only eight o’clock,” he observed, even as he moved to join the mass exodus.

HG turned back to the woman next to her. “Alone at last.”

Myka could hear Leena trying to explain their sudden haste all the way up the stairs. “Helena, the whole point of coming down here was so that we wouldn’t be all alone with far too many temptations,” she said, trying to sound exasperated.

“I am cognizant of that love. It is a lady’s prerogative to change her mind if she so wishes; I want you all to myself.” She made herself comfortable lying against a cushion on Myka’s lap, not looking the slightest bit shamed by having cleared the room in under a minute. “Tell me something I don’t already know about you.”

Myka shook her head at the inventor’s innate arrogance, but couldn’t help being just a little bit aroused at the same time. She loved Helena’s ‘take charge’ attitude and it had been lacking lately. She considered the question for a moment, finally settling on a particularly proud moment from high-school. “My entire school record is squeaky-clean, except for this one time I broke someone’s nose...”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**One month later.**

As the late morning sun crept through a gap in the curtain, Myka stretched and opened one eye. Having arrived very late from another artefact hunt, this time in South America, she had been persuaded to stay in bed much later than usual. Peering over at the clock, she read 9:38 and covered a yawn with the back of her hand. She lay immobile for a while, letting her body wake up in its own time and drifted in and out of semi-consciousness.

It was the creaking of the second to last stair that dragged her fully out of slumber and for a minute, Myka lay quietly, waiting for the gentle sound of her bedroom door opening. The slight whine of a door hinge caught her attention and she mentally counted the light footfalls that crept nearer. She hid a grin under the duvet and opened her eyes just enough to see who her visitor was. She watched as Christina carefully placed a small vase and a rose on her bedside table, and then leapt into action.

Christina squealed as she was lifted into the air by two deceptively strong arms and tossed gently into a pile of disarrayed bedclothes. She fought vainly against the hands that tickled her, her giggles and snorts of laughter only serving to spur on her attacker. It was the cries of ‘I will wet myself’ that forced Myka to finally relent. She rolled over as best she could to grin at the adult, her eyes alight with the unbridled joy that only children ever seemed to manage.

Christina greeted the tousled agent with bright eyes and a happy grin. “Morning Myka.”

“Good morning Sweetheart,” Myka returned the greeting along with a kiss to the top of her head. She loved these moments, first thing in the morning, when Helena allowed her daughter to wake the agent up; for now, it was her time to bond with Christina and she cherished every second. “Have you already had breakfast?”

“Mmhmm.” She nodded in the affirmative. “You’ve been asleep for ever such a long time!” She declared in astonishment.

“Have I?” Myka asked, feigning ignorance. “Oh dear. I suppose that means Pete has eaten everything and there’s nothing left for me.”

Christina giggled at the agent’s exaggerated pout. She was up on her knees now, her excited bouncing making Myka feel like she was floating on a steady current. “Don’t be daft. Mummy saved you some.”

Myka laughed. “How did you manage to defeat Pete?”

At that moment, the bedroom door swung open further and in stepped Helena with a tray held in her arms. Myka’s smile grew impossibly wide and she scooted further up the bed while Christina moved over to make room for her mother.

HG waited until Myka was settled before passing over her breakfast and perching on the edge of the bed. “Well, it was not easy, let me tell you,” she began her explanation of the daring feat in her usual ‘adventure tone’. “We had to confuse a grumpy ogre with riddles; pass a lie detection test; charm a wood nymph; bribe a red-headed dragon and finally somnambulate a bottomless pit of a giant with details of how modern technology is aiding the increasing levels of illiteracy in the next generation and that we are performing our civic duty in keeping the English language alive.”

Myka smiled behind her coffee mug. “All of that just to bring me breakfast? What have I done to deserve such treatment?”

Christina grinned and puffed out her chest. “You’re the princess and we are rescuing you.”

Myka’s eyebrow rose in surprise and amusement. She looked to the inventor and noted the smug undertone to her half-smile. “I shall have to think of some way to reward my heroines.” She made sure to keep hold of Helena’s gaze so her meaning would be clear. The darkening of that chocolate stare told her that she’d hit the mark.

HG clapped her hands together and turned to her daughter. “Christina, since your clothes are still lying all over your bed, will you please go and finish your packing? We’ll be leaving soon after Myka has finished her breakfast.”  She gave the young girl her best authoritative look as she tried to ignore the sultry glances that the sleep mused agent continued to send her way.

Christina frowned as if she knew that something in the room had changed but couldn’t put her finger on what. She shrugged and jumped down from the bed. “Ok Mummy.” She leaned carefully over the tray to kiss Myka farewell, and then did the same with her mother.

The moment they were alone, Helena crawled up onto the bed and leant casually on one arm. “You were saying?”

Myka pretended to think, her expression bemused. “I was?”

“Something about a reward?” HG reminded her with a hopeful glint in her eye.

“Mmm. For your heroics? Yes, of course. What did you have in mind?” She popped the last bit of toast in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully, taking her time to pick a few crumbs off her sleep-vest before swallowing. “Gold? Jewels? Land? My father’s favour perhaps?” She tried to keep her expression neutral, but as Helena took her empty tray and placed it out of the way, she felt her heart pick up its pace and gulped.

“I think your highness has something of a much higher value to offer.” HG closed the distance between them, inch by inch, her smouldering grin an obvious sign of her intent.

“Indeed?” Myka continued to play along. She loved the slow burn that sat in her blood and tugged at her every nerve. They had been at this deliciously torturous banter for weeks now and were nowhere near being tired of it. “What did you have in mind, my brave knight?” She felt herself relaxing into the pillows as Helena’s body hovered over her above the covers.

“Can you think of nothing, my lady?” HG’s gaze ran the length of Myka’s outline, her memory filling in the blanks as her free hand tiptoed across the neckline of the agent’s open collar. Her eyes darkened at the gasp that escaped from below her.

Myka reached up with both hands and settled them on either side of her love’s beautiful face. Her patience was waning fast. “How about a kiss then?”

HG’s hands came to rest either side of Myka’s body as she closed the distance. “If you insist,” she whispered before capturing the agent’s mouth with her own.

Myka hummed her approval and pushed her fingers deeper into inky locks. She lost herself in the warmth and softness that surrounded her, allowing her rescuer to lead the pace that sent a tingling current of desire through every part of her body. More and more lately, Myka had been recalling the forceful, passion fuelled, kisses that HG had seduced her with so long ago and compared the past with the present. Their slow courtship was beginning to frustrate them both in the best of ways, but for mornings like this, she preferred this languorous exploration of tongues and lips, where each kiss imparted an unspoken ‘I love you’.

Sensing a slight impatience building in the pace of the Victorian’s breathing and the wandering of her hands, Myka used her grip on Helena’s hair to pull her back slightly and break their kiss. She realised her miscalculation the moment the woman’s nostrils flared and a familiar flash of desire passed over her gaze. Anticipating the impending loss of control, the agent pushed HG back as she struggled to recover her upright position. The moment she had the advantage, she pushed the inventor onto the other side of the bed and leapt to her feet.

Helena shot Myka a look of conflicting relief and disappointment. She needn’t have been worried about her libido; four weeks of chaste kisses and not so chaste moments of hands wandering, and her body was crying out with need. With a groan, she grabbed a pillow and covered her face with it. “I think I may die. You are a sadist,” she accused the brunette mournfully.

Myka laughed before finishing the dregs of her coffee and then grabbing her towel and clothes to head for the shower. With an evil glint in her eye, she tiptoed over to the bed and leaned down close to the pillow. “Play your cards right Wells and perhaps after tonight’s date I will grant you ‘le petit mort’.” She danced out of the way just in time to avoid the arms that reached out for her and laughed as she ducked a flying pillow.

She dodged passed Claudia on the landing, whose eyebrows shot up as HG’s unmistakable voice grumbled ‘bloody evil woman’ through the open bedroom door.

“Dude. She is really cranky when you don’t put-out.” Claudia ignored the blush on Myka’s face and gave her the once over. “We’re good to go when you guys are. I can’t believe Artie’s giving us all the weekend off. Dr. Vanessa needs to visit more often!”

“I’m all packed, I just need to freshen up a bit. Christina went off the pack but it wouldn’t surprise me if she was sitting next to an empty case with her nose buried in a book.” She tried to sound exasperated but couldn’t hide the smile that accompanied the conjured image.

The red-head grinned knowingly. “Aww, look at you, all glow-y. Somehow, the Wells apple didn’t fall far from the Bering tree. Do you want me to...?” She pointed towards Christina and Helena’s room but was interrupted by the latter, who emerged from Myka’s room looking somewhat more composed.

“Not to fret, Claudia dear. I’ll go and hurry her along.” The inventor kissed Myka’s cheek and grinned with triumph at the squeak that followed the pinch to her bottom.

“Helena!” Myka hissed; her face burning as the youngest Warehouse agent tried to hide her amusement. “Now who’s evil?” She sighed and turned back to Claudia, her thumb pointing in the direction of the bathroom. “I’d better...”

The computer whizz nodded her head as she backed up. “Yup. And I’d best go check Pete’s luggage to make sure he hasn’t just packed it full of cookies.”

Myka frowned. They all knew that Pete was a grown man and could take care of himself, most of the time, but Myka usually took it upon herself to make sure he was prepared when they went anywhere. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, no probs Myka. You have your hands full now.” She paused, her eyes flicking between Helena and Myka’s bedrooms. “Or maybe not full enough!” She chuckled as her fellow agent stuck her tongue out at her and then trotted down the stairs to update the rest of the group.

Myka shook her head and wandered into the bathroom to have a very quick shower. Probably a cold one. She smiled to herself as she thought of Helena’s half-hearted complaints and their burgeoning romance.

Helena’s idea of courting had been somewhat less virtuous than Myka had anticipated. Not that she was about to complain. Between them there was little to no hope of them keeping their hands to themselves; there always seemed to be an irresistible force in the room that constantly pulled them together. The American was fairly sure that a traditional Victorian courtship would not have involved the amount of touching that they indulged in.

Every minute that she wasn’t working was spent with HG and Christina. No matter what they were doing, they did it as a family and Myka felt more content than she ever had in her life. Helena had always monopolised her attention whenever she was around and that hadn’t changed, but what had changed was the way the inventor conducted herself. She radiated a happiness that Myka had never before been privy to. Gone were the dark shadows that had been a permanent fixture and gone were the times that she would simply shut herself off and block everybody out. Even Artie had remarked on how much easier it was to talk to her.

Their efforts to date had not been quite so successful though. Between Myka’s last minute trips to one place or another and Pete and Christina’s uncanny abilities to sense when the two women were enjoying a little alone time, their ‘dates’ had consisted of family picnics and one trip to the zoo. As much as they had both enjoyed the time with the excitable girl, they were looking forward to the first real date they had planned for that evening.

Helena had been given permission by the regents to move back to her home in Rapid City, if she so wished, and though HG loved being near Myka, she missed her own space and was eager to continue with a few of her personal projects. Rather than **move** back to her rented house though, she had decided to look for somewhere to buy in Univille. The aim of her trip had been, to pack up anything that she didn’t want the removal company to touch and take it back with her to the bed and breakfast.

The simple plan had quickly spiralled out of control when first, Myka had managed to wheedle a few days of rest out of Artie, and then, uncharacteristically, the director had announced that they could all take the weekend off, so long they took their Farnsworths. Pete and Claudia had quickly insinuated themselves into HG’s plans, along with Pete’s new girlfriend Lila and with some persuading, Steve had eventually consented to join them too. Not one to be easily muddled, HG had done a little tweaking and convinced Pete and Lila to stay with Christina at her house that evening while she took Myka out for dinner at Minerva’s.

The inventor was praying that their plans for the rest of the day would be able to tire her daughter enough to put her out for the night. She was hoping to end the day the same way it had begun - in bed with Myka.

The two-hour car ride saw the whole gang arriving in Rapid City a little before midday. There was just enough time for them all to off-load their bags at their respective accommodations before piling back in their vehicles to head south towards Mt. Rushmore. Pete wanted to see the giant heads and had managed to talk Christina into being extra excited, but their main goal was to ride the Black Hills Central Railroad – a relic of the Victorian era and therefore of particular interest to their party.

The ride to Keystone was fairly quiet in the front of the car, Myka and HG both enjoying listening to the gentle chatter from Christina and Claudia in the back seat, only occasionally being required to add to the conversation.

Helena let her gaze wander over the sprawling rocky landscape, interlaced with the varying species of tree that from a distance gave the mountains their ‘black’ appearance, and couldn’t help feeling awed by how much her life had changed in two short months.

Grief had been her companion for so long that she still woke in the night, temporarily gripped by a fear of falling back into that all-encompassing hole of despair. One look across a moon-lit room was usually enough to calm her frantically beating heart, but there were times when she doubted reality and sleep would evade her for the rest of the night. She hadn’t confided this in Myka. Their morning greeting was often the only thing that could calm her racing thoughts and reassure her that the nightmares were just bad dreams. One look into tired green eyes told her that the American struggled with her own difficult dreams, and though she was one, she didn’t have to be a genius to figure out what those dreams were likely about.

Heading west reminded her of her solo drive to Yellowstone; her homicidal and suicidal intentions, her hatred of the world; her sense of betrayal, that human nature had let her down and become if possible worse than she remembered, and all the while, her precious Christina’s absence continued to tear at her soul.

She took an involuntary breath, feeling the memory pulling at her insides. Before she could begin to lose herself though, there was a hand gripping her own and knowing eyes gazing at her with love and understanding. Eyes that knew her better than she knew herself.

“Hey,” Myka’s voice was barely above a whisper, not wanting to draw attention to Helena’s distress. “It’s ok. We’re here now. We’re not going anywhere.”

They both knew that there were no guarantees for the future but HG was comforted by the underlying promise that Myka and Christina weren’t going to willingly leave her. She squeezed the brunette’s hand and took a deeper, calming breath. “I know,” she said aloud, letting the words sink into her psyche, willing herself to believe them. “Thank you.”

Myka kept her hand in Helena’s, knowing that the older woman needed the physical reminder right now. Her own thoughts had begun to drift off in the same direction, mirroring the recurring nightmares she’d been having. _Look at her Myka,_ her inner voice scolded. _She’s not the same woman who dropped you like a brick and took off on a crazy world-ending mission._ Her thumb traced random patterns around slender fingers and she was rewarded with a warm smile. _Isn’t it about time you let her back in?_

The words were so simple and it seemed like it should have been easy to let that last barrier fall, but like the Victorian, she too was plagued by the demons of the past. Her fears were not so much about Helena betraying her but more about a lack of confidence in her own judgement. She was almost sure she trusted the inventor. She didn’t trust herself. Sometime soon she was going to have to take a leap of faith and deal with whatever came of it afterward.

After a quick diversion to let Pete and Christina take pictures of Tom, George, Teddy and Abe, the gang arrived at Keystone station and began exploring the quaint little buildings and machinery.

HG felt her spirits lifting the moment she saw her daughter’s face light up at the sight of the steam-engine, and together with Myka, they walked the length of the platform, reminiscing about their journeys together through London.

On the train, Christina pounced from lap to lap, providing endless entertainment for the adults as she ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the scenery and interrogated her mother over the locomotive’s inner workings.

They were all somewhat exhausted by the time Myka opened her bag and began to pass around neatly wrapped packets of sandwiches.

Myka and HG managed to persuade the eight year old to sit between them and while they ate, a tranquil air settled about them. The two women chatted about nothing of consequence for a while until the inventor began listing the experiments she needed to pack up before the end of the weekend.

“Mummy, why are we buying a house?” Christina finally asked after listening to her mother’s plans.

HG frowned. “I don’t follow you, love. You mean other than to live in?”

The girl turned in her seat. “I like where we live now. Why do we have to move?”

Helena hesitated. Since broaching the subject a week ago, her daughter had been rather quiet with her opinion. “The bed and breakfast is really only for agents, darling. Since Mrs. Fredrick informed me that it was ok, I thought it best that we find our own place to live.”

Christina sucked her lip and leant closer to Myka. “I don’t want to leave.” There was real conflict in her voice now and the sound of it pulled at HG’s heartstrings. The girl looked up at Myka and the source of her distress quickly became apparent. “Who will save your breakfast from Pete or read to me with Mummy?”

Myka felt tears prick at the backs of her eyes and hugged the girl closer, kissing the top of her head as she exchanged a heartfelt smile with the writer. “Sweetheart, is that why I found those estate agent’s brochures hiding under your bed?” The girl nodded and Myka tried to hide her amusement. “Christina, if you’re worried about something, you can talk to us, you know? Then we can explain things so you won’t be so worried anymore.”

HG fixed her gaze on young eyes that were brimming with a mixture of confusion and defiance. “Then we can discuss things like Myka coming to live with us,” she informed the child in a slightly smug tone, anticipating the surprise and excitement that was sure to follow.

Though she and Myka were hesitantly rediscovering their connection and sometimes struggled to find their footing from one step to the next, one thing that they agreed on was that, sooner or later, they would be a couple again, in every sense of the word. The moment she’d had the go-ahead from the regents, HG had discussed Myka coming to live with her and Christina. The brunette had hesitated at first, but the idea of not coming home to either Victorian was not something that she could face, so they were soon agreed on looking for a home together.

With renewed vigour, Christina wriggled out of Myka’s arms and jumped onto her mother’s lap, gripping HG’s face as she stared into an amused gaze. “Truely? So I will have two mummies?”

Helena laughed and Myka flushed with pride. Neither one of them had been sure about how to introduce the subject of their family dynamic into a conversation, but it appeared that the eight year old had no difficulty.

HG was very aware that others were beginning to stare now. Even amongst the general hubbub of chatter within the carriage, the two Victorians’ practised diction carried far, and the unconventional topic they were discussing was bound to be of interest to some. HG Wells had never apologised for being born a woman or for defying convention and she wasn’t about to start now. She loved her daughter and Myka and didn’t care what anyone else might think about that.

“Would you like that, love?”

Christina squeezed into the space between them again and held one of each of their hands in her own. “Yes Mummies,” she giggled a bit to herself before returning to watch the passing scenery.

Their round trip to Hill City and back took up most of the afternoon so that, by the time they pulled up at HG’s house, Myka and Helena only had an hour to get ready before leaving to make their reservation at seven.

It was a small two-bed house with only one bathroom so while Myka dressed in the master bed room, Helena supervised Christina as she washed up and scrambled into her pyjamas, ready for bed after a late take-away dinner with Pete and Lila. Once her daughter was settled, HG ran back upstairs and swapped with the other agent, pausing as the brunette left the bedroom to admire long legs that made an otherwise ordinary dress look stunning.

Myka felt her body react to the obvious desire in the writer’s eyes and scolded her playfully for keeping them from being on time. She dodged all attempts to be persuaded to ‘skip dinner in favour of dessert’ and made her way downstairs.

Christina was the first to spot her entrance. “Ooh, Mummy. You look lovely.” She jumped up from her bed of cushions on the floor and trotted closer. “Now you’re a real princess.”

Myka beamed and laughed in the unconscious way she did when she was truly happy. She appreciated the compliment but it was being recognised as a mother that she really loved. She pulled Christina into her arms and hugged her warmly. “Thank you Sweetheart.” She kissed the girl’s head and then pulled back to see her properly. “It feels wonderful to hear you call me that, but perhaps we can change it a bit so Mummy and I don’t get quite so confused?”

The young girl thought for a moment and then stood on tiptoe to whisper in Myka’s ear. When she pulled back, her expression was curious, as if to say ‘is that ok?’

“Perfect,” Myka said just as they heard footsteps descending the stairs.

The brunette looked up and felt her breath catch at the sight that greeted her.

HG wore an ensemble that reflected her usual style, but her heels gave her and extra inch, making her glutes work just that little bit harder. Her shirt was tailored more for fashion than function, accentuating her curves and bust; her waist-coat ended higher than usual and her hair had been pulled up to allow Myka’s gaze unhindered access to her throat and shoulders. Altogether, the effect had the American doubting her ability to reach the end of the evening without getting them either thrown out of the restaurant or locked up in jail.

Myka’s mouth opened and closed but no sound came out.

Pete, who had been watching the exchange between his partner and her surrogate daughter with a melancholy happiness, found his own way to fill the awed silence. “I think the word you’re looking for Mykes is, yowza!”

Lila rolled her eyes at Pete and turned to the two women, pushing a lock of strawberry blonde behind an ear. She smiled at the happiness that radiated from them. “You do look lovely, both of you.”

“Very dashing, Mummy,” Christina added to the compliments, moving from Myka to hug and kiss HG before returning to her space on the floor.

Pete caught them both hesitating as they eyed the eight year old. “Don’t worry guys. We’ll keep an eye on the rug-rat for ya and have her in bed before you get back. Take your time and have fun,” he wiggled his eyebrows at his partner who stuck her tongue out at him.

Lila took pity on them, recognising how difficult it seemed to be to leave the young girl. “We’re both keeping our phones on; any time you’re worried, just send one of us a text and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.”

“Thank you Lila,” Myka breathed a small sigh as she linked her arm with her date’s.

“Bye darling,” HG called to her daughter. “We love you.”

“Love you, Mummy,” the young Victorian hollered back. “You too, Mama.”

Myka smiled with Helena and gently led her out to the car before either one of them could change their mind.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Heads turned as Myka and Helena walked into the restaurant arm in arm, not one patron was immune to the stunning sight of the two women together. HG spent a minute charming their server and then they were being shown to their table on the balcony. Their seats overlooked most of the other diners but afforded them some small measure of privacy from curious eyes.

They ordered a glass of wine each and began to peruse the menu, both famished after their long day out and thinking that their sandwiches had seemed like such a long time ago.

Helena chose quickly, having already seen the menu when booking their reservation online, preferring to observe her dining partner as Myka chewed her lip and seemed to agonise over two or three choices. She watched as the brunette’s tongue appeared to wet said lip and felt her stomach drop. Memories of where that tongue had been assaulted her vision and she had to swallow hard to keep from drooling.

Myka became aware of her observer when she noticed the menu hanging limply from an elegant hand. She looked up to meet a desire blackened gaze and smiled shyly. She put her menu to one side, deciding that it didn’t really matter what she ate so long as she got to spend her evening with Helena. “I take it that you’ve already decided?”

HG reached across the table and pulled Myka’s hands into her own, her fingers tracing patterns over palms and wrists. “I know what I want, yes,” she announced with a sultry stare.

Myka felt her stomach muscles contract and laughed nervously. She captured the inventor’s wandering fingers and took a deep breath before daring to look at the raven-haired beauty again. “You must have had women swooning all over the place back in your day.”

HG grinned. “Are you trying to tell me that you find me irresistible?” She deliberately avoided the question, not wanting this night to be about previous lovers.

“You know you are,” Myka insisted, rolling her eyes.

The writer sat back slightly as their waiter came to take their orders and bring their wine. They thanked him and let him take their menus, neither waiting for him to completely move away before leaning towards the other again, hands meeting automatically in the middle of the table.

Helena thought back to Myka’s comment and was struck again by the sense that it came from a place of insecurity. It confused and saddened her to no end when she tried to figure out how such a stunning woman could doubt her appeal. “I’ve been aware of the effect I have on others for a very long time and have used it to my advantage many times,” she confessed. “I’m afraid I have not always been considerate of the feelings of others, as you can attest. I’m not proud of my actions.” She noticed the involuntary twitch of the agent’s eyebrow and chuckled. “Very well, I am not proud of ALL of my actions. Particularly in relation to you, my darling.” She squeezed the brunette’s hands and returned her smile. “So yes, I understand my... curb appeal.”

They both laughed at that, knowing that Helena’s recent house-hunting had given her a plethora of new phrases to slip into her everyday vernacular.

“What I don’t understand,” HG continued after a short pause to appreciate the sparkle behind her favourite shade of hazel-green. “Is how a woman as breathtaking as you could possibly doubt the effect she has on others... Specifically time-travelling Victorians.”

Myka was struck dumb. Every day that she looked at the inventor when Helena wasn’t yet aware of her presence, she wondered why the other woman was with her. She knew that time had been kind to her and that most of her youthful geekiness had given way to a more common appeal, and it didn’t hurt that she kept in shape, but those teenage years had left scars that even she couldn’t see; it would never be easy for her to accept that she was desirable.

“You love me,” she said with increasing confidence. “Love is blind.” She shrugged and offered Helena an apologetic half-smile.

HG shook her head incredulously. “I will make it my lifelong goal to convince you that you are radiance personified,” she declared confidently. “You are my light in the dark, Myka, and I won’t have you doubting yourself. I realise that I already indicated this back at the house, but I will say it again just to remind you; you are beautiful tonight. I am the luckiest woman in the world to be the one taking you home.”

Myka blushed and whispered a heartfelt ‘thank you’. They chatted about lighter things for several minutes and gave into the urge to check on Christina before their meals arrived. Pete sent them a picture message of Christina’s head and Myka’s bear sticking out of the furniture-fort they appeared to be in the middle of building and then they spent most of their meal after that discussing their little girl. Time flew by and eventually, only empty desert bowls and wine glasses sat between them.

“Helena, before I forget, I want to thank you for making it so effortless to be part of your family. It means the world to me that you’re comfortable sharing the mom-role.” Myka gazed deep into Helena’s eyes and poured her soul out. “I... I love you both so much.” She laughed and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m crazy. How is it possible for us to be here... together?”

Helena opened her mouth, looked around for inspiration and then closed it again and shrugged. “Quite honestly darling, I don’t care if we are both certifiably insane. Whether it’s technically possible or not, we’re here and I’m not going to be one to look a gift horse in the mouth. You’ve given me my life back and I intend to make the most of every moment with you. Christina adores you and you’re a natural with her.” The inventor watched Myka’s eyes, feeling warm for putting that spark of happiness there again. “What do you think, darling? Are we ready to sally-forth?”

Myka chuckled at the question. “I assume that means are we ready to leave?”

“You assume correctly.” Helena waved their server over and asked for the bill. She tipped well, already thinking ahead to possible future dates or anniversaries.

They waltzed out of the restaurant on a cloud, Myka’s arm linked through Helena’s, her hand resting on a toned bicep. The brunette took another look at the Victorian’s outfit and chuckled to herself, drawing a curious look from her date.

“I was just thinking again about how strange my life has become. Good, but strange.” She looked around the parking lot and recalled similar situations; walking with a date after a nice meal, wondering whether she would be waking up next to someone in the morning. “I never would have guessed I’d be part of a walking lesbian cliché.”

Helena frowned and paused next to the driver’s side of the car. “We are a lesbian cliché?” She asked as the agent moved closer.

Myka wrapped her arms around Helena’s waist and pulled her into a slow kiss. She felt Helena’s fingers in her hair and sighed in contentment. “As nice as dinner was, I like not having a table between us, so I can do this,” she stepped forward and pushed the inventor against the car, sliding her hands further up her date’s back and kissing her again, this time with more force.

HG felt her body melt right down to her bones. She felt a toned thigh pressing between her legs and whimpered at the contact. Their breathing came in short hot gasps between kisses until finally, Myka pulled back with a groan.

“Myka, I know the world has changed somewhat in the last hundred years, but I think there is still a fine line with public displays of affection.” She smiled and indicated over the brunette’s shoulder towards the street. “We are beginning to draw a crowd, love.”

Embarrassment couldn’t quite rid the agent of the haze of lust that clouded her brain, but it was enough to get her into the car, where she pulled the Victorian into another lengthy kiss before finally starting the engine.

Helena licked her lips as she watched Myka manoeuvre through traffic, she then checked her phone and smiled at another picture message from Pete. “You neglected to answer my question,” she said after a comfortable silence.

Myka frowned for the few seconds that it took her to review their conversation. “Oh.” She glanced at HG’s outfit and gestured to the trousers and waistcoat. “It’s stupid, but there’s this idea that between lesbians, and I suppose gay men too, that one half of the couple must be more masculine than the other, I guess in order for the relationship to work. I’m not sure if it’s based on the assumption that a butch woman must be a lesbian or if it just helps heterosexuals to see something that they think of as normal. Maybe both. It just came to me when I thought about what we’re wearing tonight.” She pulled to a halt at a stop light and glanced over at her passenger. “That wasn’t a thing in your day?”

HG scoffed though still seeming to sound well mannered. “Darling, if such things were mentioned in public it was either to condemn them or to deny their existence. I must say that it’s hardly surprising that such stereotypes have developed. I suspect that amongst female couples there was once a time when a public appearance required the pretence that one of them was male? It is heartening to witness opinions changing, though perhaps not as quickly as they should.” She reached across the car and placed a hand on Myka’s thigh. “Regardless, I wore this because I enjoy the way your eyes light up with interest when I do.”

Myka swallowed hard and hit the gas a little harder than intended, nerves twitching wherever the heat from Helena’s hand penetrated the fabric of her dress. “That’s good to know. Though for the record... I would love to see you in a dress.”

“I will keep that in mind,” Helena chuckled and reluctantly removed her hand.

Myka pulled up outside Helena’s house and smiled as her date shot out of the car before she’d even killed the engine. The Victorian faltered for a moment at the door as etiquette warred with her need to see her daughter. Myka caught up with her on the step and rubbed her hand over the inventor’s arm.

“It’s fine, Helena.” She moved her hand to the inventor’s cheek and kissed her briefly. “I’ll say goodnight for you and see you upstairs in a few minutes.”

“Thank you, love.” HG opened the door and made immediately for the stairs, leaving her date to thank their guests. Myka found Pete and Lila chatting amicably, cuddled up slightly on the couch in the living room. She looked around, expecting to still see the details from their fort building. She narrowed her eyes at Pete before turning to Lila.

“How long did it take you to convince him to clear the fort away?”

Pete faked offence. “Hey!” He waited until his partners looked at him with her usual playful superiority. “It was a kick-ass fort. That kid’s got a future in construction,” he said in defence.

Myka laughed quietly and looked between her and the new woman in his life. “Thank you for tonight.”

“How was dinner?” Lila enquired softly as she moved out into the hallway and began slipping her shoes on.

“Wonderful,” Myka told her with a wistful look in her eyes. “I’ve never had a date that felt so... magical.”

“Aww, Mykes.” Pete pulled her into an unexpected hug. “You know I was gonna do the whole big bro thing and threaten to hunt her down if she ever hurt you, but I really don’t think I have to... That and she scares the crap outta me.” He pulled back to look her in the eye. “I get nothing but warm fuzzy vibes from you two these days.”

Myka felt something inside loosen at her friend’s statement. She had hopes for how this night would end but was still anxious about taking that last step to letting Helena back in again. “Really?”

Lila smiled and made a discrete exit, leaving the sudo-siblings to their bonding.

Myka looked so vulnerable as she uttered that one word that he had to hug her again. “She’s the one, Myka. So go for it.” He let her go again and waggled his eyebrows at her. “Go love your woman.”

Myka aimed a punch at his shoulder, hitting nothing but air as he dodged out of the way. “Hey Pete!” She hissed as he danced mockingly down the path.

“What?”

“Nice hickey.” She smirked as he slapped a hand against his neck and then tried to look at the spot he’d hit, appearing somewhat like a dog chasing its tail.

He made a shushing gesture as he rounded his car, grinning at Myka as he waved goodbye and got inside. Myka watched them pull away, closed and locked the door, turned off the downstairs lights and then took a deep breath as she began to ascend the stairs.

She resisted checking on Christina, knowing that Helena would have done so and not wanting to risk waking the girl. She paused with her hand on the master bedroom door. _Leave the past in the past, Myka. You love her and she loves you. Don’t over think it._ She recalled the kiss in the car; the one in the parking lot; the heated embrace on her bed that morning and all of the other instances where Helena had made her feel like the only other person in existence; kisses that had left her shaky with need and hungering for another taste. She wanted this life with the Victorian, desperately, and needed to take a leap of faith.

With more confidence, Myka opened the door, stepped inside and then immediately stopped. Her mouth opened, closed and then turned up in a delighted smile as her eyes scanned the room for its other occupant. Sensing movement behind her, she turned to find her date observing her closely. Her smile grew at the expression of happy mischief that looked back at her and she felt her nerves wane a little more.

“When did you do all this?” She gestured to the dozen or so candles around the room and the rose petals on the bed.

Helena moved from her hiding place, pushing the door to, and reached out to draw Myka’s hands into her own. “I placed the candles before we left earlier and I may have enlisted Pete’s help in procuring the floral accompaniments.”

Myka scanned the room again, wondering for a moment what Pete might have touched while he was in there and then quickly decided that she didn’t care. “It’s lovely.”

HG moved a hair’s breadth closer, her hands leaving Myka’s to trail up lightly tanned arms. “It all pales in comparison to you my dear, but I wanted this night to be special for you.” Her wandering hands slid around her girlfriend’s waist and she pulled their bodies flush, smiling as the brunette’s arms curled naturally around her shoulders. She knew that Myka had been struggling to deal with her feelings lately and understood the reasons for the inner conflict. She had been the cause after all. HG did not really want to bring it up when the other agent looked so at ease in this moment and their bodies were working up to something so much more desirable, but she sensed that it needed airing, for Myka’s sake. She took a deep breath and squeezed the body in her arms in a gesture that was meant to convey comfort. “I know that I’ve hurt you, Myka. I know that my actions have damaged the trust that you once had in me,” she began to explain.

“I trust you, Helena,” the curly haired agent insisted, interrupting what she thought might be a criticism of her inability to let go of the past.

HG looked into her eyes with understanding and sympathy, already sensing that the woman in front of her was assuming the blame. Still, she pushed on. “With your heart?”

Myka opened her mouth to respond in the affirmative then quickly snapped it shut. She closed her eyes for a moment and by the time she opened them again, there were tears forming. “I want to. God Helena, I really want to.” Her voice began to crack with the weight of emotion that tore at her from inside and she let her head hang in shame. How could she love the Brit and still not completely trust her? And how had she gone from being happy and prepared a moment ago to being on the edge of crying? Where was the rewind button?

Helena bit back the anger she felt towards herself. Even after being supposedly reformed and no longer under suspicion by the regents, she had still managed to hurt the woman who, deep down, she had known she was in love with. Being angry would only give Myka reason to blame herself even more though and that was the last thing she wanted. Patience and understanding were the only things that would help her girlfriend through this conversation.

She placed her hand under Myka’s chin and tilted her head up until she could place a tender kiss on her downturned mouth. “I know you do and someday darling, you will. I will do everything in my power to earn that trust. A wise woman recently told me that, as long as we have time and each other, we have everything we need.” She was relieved to see Myka’s forlorn expression ease into a shy smile.

“A wise woman, huh?” The American asked, trying to break the tension.

“Very wise,” Helena confirmed and used her thumb to wipe away the one tear that had broken its barrier. “And infinitely warm, loving, brave and compassionate.” HG grinned, pleased with the flush that suffused her date’s features. “With beauty to rival Aphrodite.”

“Helena,” Myka mumbled in protest, feeling her blush travel further than ever, to the roots of her hair.

“Modest too,” HG added, enjoying herself. Complimenting Myka was one of her favourite things.

Myka looked into pools of dark chocolate and saw the sincerity there. She sighed and relented, knowing that nothing she could say would change the other woman’s mind. Upon this realisation, a smile began to reappear on her face. “Thank you,” she accepted demurely. “You are all of those things too... and more.”

“Hmm,” the inventor stole another kiss and grinned. “And more? You will have to show me that list; I would be very interested in reading it.”

Myka raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “In that case I believe we should amend it; you are far from modest.” She felt the inventor’s hands begin to travel again and welcomed the return of the delicious tingles that followed in their wake.

HG’s lips painted a series of kisses along her date’s jaw. She paused under a delicate ear and whispered, “Only because I know that you love me that way.”

Myka groaned and closed her eyes. Her arms were still encompassing HG’s shoulders and her hands searched for purchase as she felt her knees weaken. She may not yet trust that her girlfriend wouldn’t break her heart again, but she believed Helena when she said that she would earn that trust, and right now, that was all that mattered.

Knowing that standing would not be an option soon, the brunette wound her fingers into soft as silk hair and pulled HG’s mouth up to her own, kissing her hard. Tongues met, tasted and explored, retreating a dozen times only to return with fevered passion to begin again. Only when short gasps between kisses were not enough and Myka began to feel light headed, did she pull back and rest her forehead against her date’s.

“Helena,” she whispered hoarsely. “Take me to bed.”

The inventor swallowed around her own ragged breaths as hands that had come to rest on a slim waist reached for the zipper to Myka’s dress. “With pleasure, love,” she answered before giving into temptation and leaning back in for another languid kiss.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Myka slowly became aware that morning had once again arrived as her dream faded and the smell of expensive sheets and shampoo filled her nostrils. She breathed in slowly and deeply, keeping her eyes closed to savour the moment. Part of her dream continued to play in the back of her mind, tantalisingly out of reach and for a few minutes, she tried to chase it.

An aisle in the Warehouse. Ancient Mesopotamia. A jewel; its light guiding her. A flash and then...

Nothing. Whatever she’d dreamt after that had drifted too far for her to recall. She shrugged mentally and finally opened her eyes. She blinked several times, taking in the burnt out candles and the odd piece of clothing lying where it’d been haphazardly discarded. She grinned to herself and wriggled a little in contentment, closing her eyes momentarily to recall the events of the previous evening.

_Flashes of skin on skin; candlelight painting flickering shadows of their passionate embrace on the wall; Helena’s scent and the sound of her voice as she lovingly eased Myka over the cresting waves of her release; feeling safe and content in strong arms that held her till her body stopped trembling and recovered enough to begin again._

_Helena,_ she thought and turned to find her lover. A tiny voice in the back of her mind was ready to shout ‘I told you so’ the moment her eyes landed on cold sheets and an empty space, but the residual fear was stamped out as tousled ebony hair and pale skin met Myka’s eyes.

For several minutes, she simply lay gazing in awe at the woman lying next to her. Their lovemaking had been so achingly familiar and yet blissfully different. Helena’s need was no longer born out of despair and pain. It sang with love and devotion and wrapped Myka in a blanket of warmth and a passion so intense that it stole her very breath. She felt lighter and freer than any other time in her life and breathed a contented sigh, knowing that her existence was full with Helena next to her.

Eventually, unable to resist, she began to stroke strands of hair behind an ear, slowly revealing features that made her breath catch with longing. Sliding forward, Myka brought her mouth down on her lover’s, waking sleeping beauty with a morning after kiss.

Helena sighed into Myka’s mouth and even in a state of semi-consciousness, wrapped a hand around the back of the agent’s neck and hummed her approval as she deepened the kiss. Her body reacted automatically, rolling slightly and bringing their bodies together. Helena felt her girlfriend whimper beneath her and finally opened her eyes.

“Good morning, darling,” HG greeted with a contented smile, her voice husky from sleep and the events of the night before. “Did you sleep well?” She rolled back to the still warm space where she’d been sleeping and ran a hand through her hair as she began to really wake up.

Myka leant on her arm, facing the inventor. She opened her mouth to respond but stopped as a look of panic suddenly appeared on Helena’s face and she watched gob-smacked as her bed partner suddenly shot up, grabbed her robe and ran out of the door. It took the American all of two seconds after HG’s departure to realise where she was going. Last night marked the first night that the Victorian had slept away from her child and Myka knew that she would be in panic mode until she had visual confirmation that the eight year old was ok.

Helena just managed to pull her robe on and began tying the belt as she nudged her daughter’s bedroom door opened and peeked inside. The bed was empty and had been roughly made. There was no sight or sound of anyone in the room but HG found herself calling her daughter’s name and looking between furniture in a quick sweep.

She backed out of the room. It wasn’t exactly early, her and Myka having slept a little late and she made for the stairs, straining to hear anything from below. She was trying not to panic; trying to tell herself that there were any number of logical and innocent explanations for what the girl could be doing, but by the time she reached the first step, she was practically running.

“Christina?” She called out as she reached the bottom and entered the living room, thinking that perhaps she’d come down to re-enact her evening with Pete and Lila and build another fort.

By now, she could hear movement from above and knew that Myka would be following her down to check that everything was ok. Under any other circumstance she might have felt guilty for ending their tranquil wake up so abruptly, but there was no room in her mind right at that moment for anything other than finding her little girl.

“Christina!?” She heard her voice becoming shrill and moved swiftly through the kitchen to the last room, bar the basement. “CHRISTINA!?”

Helena entered the dining room to ostensibly find nothing but the usual table and chairs that had barely been used since she’d first come to live in the house. Her keen gaze swept over furniture and floor, seeing nothing to stop the rapid pounding of her heart. Then, the voice of an angel, and her world finally stopped spinning.

 “Over here, Mummy.” Christina knelt up behind the table, poking her head over the back of a chair to frown at her mother. “Are you feeling alright? You look a little under the weather.”

HG gripped the back of a chair as a different kind of dizziness passed over her. She wanted to run over and grab her daughter and never let her go. She wanted to cry floods of relieved tears and scream at the girl for scaring her so much. She wanted to curl up in bed with her small but oh so precious family and stay safe from the world, but she knew she couldn’t; she took several slow breaths to keep her urges under control and eventually felt two pairs of arms guiding her back through the kitchen, passed the stairs and onto a large stuffed chair. She gradually became aware of their voices.

“Why won’t she say anything?” Christina asked with worry clear in her tone.

Myka’s was much calmer. Concern was still there, but it was controlled; she had inside knowledge of what was happening and knew that time would help. “She can’t right now Sweetheart. Her body is reacting to a rush of adrenaline and most other things take precedence over speech until the hormone is flushed from the body.”

“What is adrelanine?” The girl asked as she climbed onto Myka’s lap. The agent had her arms wrapped around HG, a hand stroking her head while she waited to see a reaction.

“A-dren-a-line,” she broke it down for the girl, ever patient when Christina wanted her to explain something new. “It’s a chemical that your body makes when it thinks you need to fight or run away. Usually when you’re scared.”

“Why was Mummy afraid?” She asked the million-dollar question.

Myka hesitated. “Perhaps she had a bad dream and thought you were hurt,” she offered, hating that she was lying by omission but thinking it was necessary.

“It was a nightmare,” HG murmured into Myka’s shoulder. She had been listening to the soothing sound of their voices and feeling her heartbeat thankfully slow to a steady pace. Now she felt like an idiot and was torn between wanting to stay close to the two people she loved and needing to be alone to lick her wounds. She lifted her head from Myka’s shoulder, her reactions sluggish now that the blind panic had receded. She started to get up but her girlfriend pushed her back down.

“Chrissie, would you fetch your mother a glass of water please?” Myka asked the girl gently.

Christina jumped down willingly but paused in front of HG. “Mummy, will you be alright?”

Helena lifted her head and smiled for the first time since leaving her bedroom. She reached out and pulled her daughter into a firm hug. “I will now, love. There is nothing in this world that your hugs can’t cure for me.” She felt the girl’s giggle vibrate through them and her smile widened.

“I’ll get you some water,” Christina declared and ran out of the room.

Helena pushed both hands through her hair and sighed deeply. She felt Myka’s arms pull her closer and relaxed into the touch. “I’m sorry I spoiled our morning, love.”

“You didn’t. You were there,” She said simply, though they both knew the importance of that short statement. “I enjoyed watching you sleep for a while too.”

“You did hmm? I shall endeavour to wake up earlier in future so that I may make a fool of myself before you wake and return in time for more of this.” She turned to brush her lips against Myka’s and stayed in that position until they heard more giggling. Helena smiled into her girlfriend’s final kiss and turned to the curious brown eyes that were staring at her. She placed the water on the coffee table and pulled Christina into her lap. “Thank you, my flower. So what were you beavering away at behind the dining room table this morning?”

“Theodore and I were drawing a plan,” she declared, referring to the uniformed bear Myka had bought her from the steam-train gift shop the previous day. After hearing of how Theodore Roosevelt had been the inspiration for the toy’s name, Christina was set on calling her bear Theodore. (“Not Teddy, because he doesn’t like that.”)

HG fascinated them all with a short tale of her run in with Police Commissioner Roosevelt while on an artefact chase in New York, in 1894. Stating that, after being let off with a warning following a scuffle with several officers, they’d talked for several hours over celebratory drinks for her ‘taming of another curiosity’, and she’d offered several ideas for how he could reform the city’s law enforcement. In true HG fashion, she took full responsibility for his promotion the following year.

“A plan for what, Sweetie?” Myka enquired, equally curious.

The young girl was quiet for a moment and then sighed dramatically, drawing matching expressions of surprised amusement from her parents. “It was intended to be a secret. They’re not quite finished yet. Though, if you would like to help, I suppose that would be alright.”

“Well, now that you have us both so intrigued, I think you will have to,” Helena teased her. “Go and put them on the dining table and finish any secret additions you have and we will be through to inspect when we’ve conjured some breakfast.”

Myka waited until she and HG were alone again and then wrapped arms around a slim waist and pulled HG towards her so that her front pressed into her girlfriend’s back. She placed a kiss on a bare shoulder and felt Helena shudder. “Thank you for last night,” she whispered into raven hair. “You’re amazing. I love you.”

Helena turned in the embrace and knelt over Myka, tunnelling her fingers into wild hair and kissing the agent thoroughly. “You were delicious,” she murmured into the hinge of a jaw. “I would gladly have you for breakfast, though,” she pulled back to see her lover’s intense gaze. “I believe we should make sure that our daughter isn’t planning to build a time-travelling steam engine, or some other such nonsense. She really was quite taken with our little outing yesterday.”

Myka chuckled and made a mental note to have a ‘Back to the Future’ movie marathon with her girlfriend. Despite their mutual propensity for reading, she thought that Helena would get a kick out of the classic trilogy. “You need to get dressed then, because there is no way I will be able to keep my hands to myself with you in nothing but this robe.” She indicated to the fabric that, by now, was handing off one shoulder and riding further and further up silky thighs.

HG shot her a sultry look, making sure to take her time and touch as much skin as possible while she pretended to rearrange her robe. “If you insist, darling.” She slid off Myka’s lap and danced away, closely avoiding the hands that reached for her blindly. She chuckled to herself as she heard her girlfriend groan and flop back on the couch. Turnabout was fair play after all.

 Myka soon forced her body up and began to investigate the kitchen, checking cupboards and freezer for food, since most of what Helena had left in the fridge had expired. She did discover eggs in the fridge, but six weeks was three weeks past her comfort zone to try those and she threw them away without a second thought. She found bread and bacon in the freezer and began defrosting them in the microwave. Helena was still very sceptical about the nutritional value of modern convenience foods and though she didn’t claim to be a fantastic cook, she still preferred her meals to include the raw ingredients that were ‘supposed’ to go into them, therefore there was no chance of whipping up a few pancakes from dry mix.

Their eventual breakfast of bacon sandwiches felt a little foreign to Myka, but she enjoyed them nevertheless, particularly when Helena moaned over every other bite.

After the dishes were washed, Christina laid out her hastily drawn diagrams and proceeded to explain the blueprints for what she wanted their house to be like. The kitchen, with all the modern appliances, plus a pantry; the dining room, with a secret door to the kitchen, where the servants could come and go without intruding on the guests; the parlour, where Mummy and Mama received guests and wrote letters and reports. Then from there the house extended into a library, a small bathroom, a playroom, a living room with a huge TV (supposedly for Pete) and another secret door down to the basement where Helena could work on her inventions.

Upstairs there were six more rooms. A family bathroom with a pool sized tub and jets of water jumping from it, Mummies’ room, Christina’s room, the schoolroom, guest bedroom and the nursery (“for the baby”).

In the back garden, there were fountains, hidden paths, a tree-house, two ponds with bridge rising between the them, rose bushes, weeping willows and a cycle path surrounding the whole thing.

The two agents stared on in amazement as they were ‘walked’ through the entire plan and given instructions on where they could put their possessions. The moment Christina stopped talking, a long silence filled the room.

“Do you like it?” She asked when neither adult commented.

They exchanged a dumbfounded look and then broke into matching smiles. “It looks like you’ve put a lot of thought into this, Sweetie. And you’ve made a really good job of these blue-prints. We’ve got our own little architect,” Myka ruffled up the girl’s hair and placed a hand on her shoulder. “How long did it take you to draw all this?”

“I woke up hours ago,” she announced as she gazed up at the two of them. “I came in to check on you, but you were both fast asleep... and cuddling. Are you going to sleep in Mama’s room now Mummy? Will I have my own room?”

HG stroked the hair from her daughter’s face and tried to keep the hint of rejection she felt out of her smile. It was natural for an eight year old to want their own space but she couldn’t help feeling a bit like she was being kicked out. “Yes, my love. Myka and I will be sharing a room from now on.” She watched brown eyes light up and forgot all about her own insecurities. “Now, about this house...” Her raised eyebrow told the young girl all she needed to know about her mother’s response.

“It’s too much?” She asked knowingly.

HG chuckled and crouched down to wrap her arms around Christina. “Just a smidge,” she teased. “But I love seeing your wonderful imagination come to life. Mama’s right, they really are quite lovely, and well thought out.”

“I think we should frame them. That way, when we do have our house, we can pin them to your bedroom wall,” Myka suggested. It didn’t escape her attention that Helena shot her a gooey look when she said the words ‘our house’. “It might also be a good idea for the three of us to sit down and write out a list of things we all really want.” She glanced back at the drawings and smiled at one of the rooms in particular. “Though I think space for a library is a given.”

Helena disappeared into the basement for the remainder of the morning to pack up anything that she wanted to take back to the bed and breakfast, while Myka played with Christina. They built another fort, this time in the dining room and Myka showed her how to make a tunnel using the chairs. They had tea under the table with Theodore and a doll named Angelina, and chatted about trains, houses and school.

Helena was on the fence about sending her daughter to the local junior-high. Christina was adapting well to modern life, but she still had a lot of catching up to do and the last thing either she or Myka wanted was for their daughter to be an outcast for her - still very old-fashioned - outlook.

They had explained enough about time-travel to help the girl understand where she was ‘now’ in relation to where she had been ‘then’, but occasionally something would come up in conversation and her response was very ‘Victorian’. Though HG had been a very forward thinking woman, children were always influenced by environmental factors outside of their parents’ immediate sphere and not all of the Wells family, or the greater London populace, had seen the world with such an accepting eye.

As a result, both women were happy home-schooling Christina for at least the next year, but perhaps even into the first year of high-school. The only downside with that plan was the lack of friendship she had access to within her own age group. Since HG still couldn’t let Christina out of her sight, Myka had been looking into local clubs that the two could attend together a couple of times a week.

The rest of the gang arrived a little after midday with lunch and they gathered round the table. They chatted animatedly as plates were passed around, and fond smiles were exchanged as Christina insisted on cutlery and napkins, even tutting and shaking her head at Pete in a very Mykaish way when he began shoving fries in his mouth and licking his fingers.

Myka spent most of the meal trying not to choke on her food as Helena insisted on seeing how far her foot could reach up the brunette’s leg, all the while managing to carry on a fairly detailed conversation with Claudia about her advances in Tesla weaponry. When Lila offered to clear the table, Myka jumped up and insisted that she and Pete could take care of it. With a backward glare of promised retribution towards the inventor, she gathered their debris and disappeared with her partner into the kitchen.

“So, Mykes,” Pete started the moment she began running the water to get it hot enough to fill the bowl. “You and HG are extra touchy-feely today. You have a good night?”

“Pete,” she growled in warning, even though it had never stopped him before.

“What? You know about my sexy times, why can’t I ask about yours?”

“Number one; I am not interested in hearing about your sex-life. Number two; I am even less interesting in sharing details of mine with you. And number three; you were supposed to be watching my daughter, not making out like a teenager on the couch.” She scrubbed vigorously at a stubborn stain as she considered where their conversation was going. “At least I hope that’s all you were doing.”

“Hey, she was asleep and really? Do you think I’d do it on HG’s couch?” He shuddered, only half pretending to be afraid of the idea of agent Wells discovering his indiscretion. His brain eventually caught up with Myka’s words and he frowned. “Wait a minute. Your daughter? Seriously?” He grinned as she blushed and tried not to smile. “I mean Claudia mentioned the whole ‘two mummies’ thing on the train, but I didn’t know you and HG were **there** yet. Not that we didn’t all know it was headed that way,” he continued to ramble and wave his hands around randomly. “Did my little pep-talk last night trigger this? ‘Cause you know, uncle Pete’s got your back sistah.” He clicked his fingers in the air and then fumbled when the plate in his hand tried to make a break for it. “I’ve got more than enough mojo to go around.”

Myka shot him a withering look and glanced at the plate in sympathy. “I’ll pass, thanks. Save it for Lila.”

His expression softened as he gazed off into a memory on the ceiling. “Yeah, she’s pretty great... It just feels right, y’know?”

Myka stacked the last plate, a pile having formed where Pete was supposed to be helping by drying and putting them away. Distracted Pete was not a diligent worker. “I know. You’re pretty great too. You can be kind of a slut sometimes, but when it matters, you’re 100% there and I’m sure Lila’s beginning to get that too. I think it could really work.”

It was approaching two o’clock by the time they piled back into Myka and Pete’s cars and headed out for their final outing of the weekend; the funfair. As much as the train ride had been interesting for all of them in different ways, the majority of the group had been eagerly awaiting the world of candy-floss, games of chance, junk-food and various rides.

Claudia regaled Christina with her idea of all the ‘best-bits’ of a good funfair, trying to play down some of the normal risks that most people thought nothing of when they entered such a place. She was aware of HG listening intently from the front passenger seat and didn’t want to have to see the battle that might ensue if the over-protective mother decided that it was too much for her child.

They parked up, bought their tickets and pushed through the barriers into the park. Helena hovered over Christina, on edge due to the chaotic nature of theme parks in general and the propensity for children to become distracted and wander. Myka followed her girlfriend with a hand resting gently and supportively on her lower back.

The group moved off in no particular direction as they began to take in the atmosphere around them. For three hours, the seven of them enjoyed the rare chance to goof off a bit and just generally spend some time as ‘normal’ members of the public.

Exhausted and happy, the gang eventually made their way to the exit with sugary treats in hand. Steve had agreed to hit the clubs with Claudia; Pete and Lila were off to see a movie, and Myka, HG and Christina had plans to draw up more blue-prints and confer about the overall layout of their house. Regardless of what they were doing, each was looking forward to their last night of freedom from the Warehouse.

Claudia’s gait slowed as they walked towards the exit and she sniffed the air. There was a crowd building near the ticket booths, but as she looked around, no one seemed inclined to actually leave. Something felt off, but it took several seconds of glancing around and honing her instincts before it hit her. “Er, guys?” She called out to her friends and colleagues. “Does anyone else smell fudge?”


	6. Chapter 6

After some initial deliberation, at Myka’s suggestion, the Warehouse crew agreed to ride the Ferris Wheel first so they could take in more of the fairground from above and have fun while making a more informed decision on which rides or stalls to visit.

“They’re a good deal larger than I recall,” HG observed as she watched a family up ahead boarding one of the eight-seated pods.

“Bigger but safer,” Claudia assured her. “The engineering that goes into theme park rides these days might impress even you HG. And though the health and safety police are generally a buzz kill, places like this have to be regularly inspected to be allowed to stay open. More thrill, less spill.”

Myka threw the young techie a grateful smile and wrapped her arm a little tighter around her girlfriend’s waist. “For someone who invented a device that launches you several metres in the air, I wouldn’t think the height would bother you.”

“I’m not afraid for me,” HG reminded the brunette needlessly.

“I know honey,” Myka replied and placed a kiss on Helena’s temple. “Bad joke,” she added and felt the body next to her relax slightly. “Sorry.” The queue moved gradually closer to the ride. “Do you think she’ll be scared?” She asked with a hint of her own concern.

The inventor contemplated the ride and sought for a memory of her daughter ever showing a fear of heights. She looked over to where Christina was holding Claudia’s hand and talking excitedly about what they might see from the top. “It doesn’t appear as if she’s holding any apprehension.” She sighed and leant into Myka more. “I’m glad we could do this today. As difficult as it is to relax in a place with so much potential for things to go wrong, it’s worth it to see her having fun.”

Myka felt her heart swell and gazed lovingly at her girlfriend. “You really are amazing,” she whispered, drawing a confused glance from HG. “After everything you’ve been through, no one would blame you for locking yourself in the house with Christina and never letting her have an inch of space or freedom. We wouldn’t let you do that to yourself or her of course, but we would understand. You’re trying to give her the life she deserves, no matter how hard that is... You’re amazing,” she repeated.

Helena’s gaze left her daughter for a moment and she pulled Myka into a short but tender kiss. “I have you to thank for all of this, love. I don’t believe I would have the courage if it weren’t for your presence in my life.”

“All right you two, enough of the ultra-gooey stuff. There’s something I need to ask everyone that we need to agree on before we go any further,” Pete announced in his most serious tone. “Remember; I want you to be honest... Does this haircut make me look dorky?”

All six of them stared at him before the adults all began to talk at once.

“Totally dorky! Seriously dude, I was thinking of going all Edward Scissorhands on you in the night or something.”

“It’s not exactly your best look, Pete. I thought maybe you were growing it out and were just stuck in that in between stage you know? I would have said something though, eventually.”

“Not really a good look for you, man. I didn’t want to say anything though in case you decided to use me as a fashion guru and go ultra short.”

“It’s nice Pete, but it might be starting to get a little out of control.”

“It’s hideous. Though if you were attempting to appear as immature as you behave, then I’d say you were on the right track.”

Christina looked between all the adults, waiting for them to finish before throwing in her two-cents. “I like it.”

Pete grinned and stuck his tongue out at his friends. “Thanks CJ. You’re now officially my new best friend.”

She smiled sweetly up at him and HG rolled her eyes. Myka laughed and ruffled the girl’s hair. “Just don’t feed him anything or he’ll be following us home.”

While continuing the good natured ribbing all through their ride and the subsequent visits to the prize giving stalls, ghost train and bumper cars (where Lila volunteered to stand on the side-line and video their fun with her phone), they all took turns in introducing the newest member of the Warehouse family to their own personal take on the fair. This gave her some distance from her mother’s involuntary fussing and gave HG and Myka some time to enjoy the occasional stolen kiss or longing gaze without worrying too much about where their daughter was.

Eventually, they ran out of activities that they all wanted to do and the two women bid a temporary goodbye to their four friends as they headed, with Christina between them, for the more child-oriented portion of the fairground.

Myka filmed Helena on the Carousel with Christina, and HG did the same for her on the Tea Cups. They all rode the Flying Dutchman and the Pirate Ship, which the inventor declared was a violation of nature and good sense. Then finally, they returned to the games of skill and chance, which Myka and Christina walked away from with matching stuffed toys, courtesy of HG.

They spent their last few minutes without the others sitting on a picnic bench, sipping milkshakes and reminiscing about the most memorable parts of the weekend (that weren’t spent in bed at least).

“Have you enjoyed yourself, my love?” Helena asked the young girl as she watched her inspecting her new toy racoon.

“Yes Mummy. Can we do this again next weekend?” She asked with bright hopeful eyes.

HG smiled and stroked her daughter’s hair. “Well, perhaps not exactly the same things, but I agree that it would be enjoyable to go on regular outings.”

“With you too Mama?” Christina added enthusiastically.

Myka smiled regretfully. “When I can Sweetheart. When I’m not working, I’ll definitely come with you and Mummy.” She really loved her job, but since having Helena and Christina in her life, she’d begun to resent the time she spent away from home. “So what are you going to name your new friend?” She asked, hoping to change the topic.

Christina stared into the orange plastic eyes of her new toy and thought carefully. “Roquefort,” she declared proudly after almost a minute.

Myka spluttered into her milkshake and HG chuckled. They exchanged a meaningful look that said ‘our kid is special, huh?’ The senior agent turned back to the girl and nodded her approval. “Rocky. I like it; it suits him. Not sure if I’ll be able to top that. Will you help me?”

“Sure Mama. What do you think he looks like?” Christina shifted so she was kneeling up in her seat and facing her parents, HG next to her and Myka across the table.

Myka picked up the stuffed racoon and held it up; mimicking the eight year old’s actions. “Well, I think he looks like an outlaw because he has this mask on, or he could be the Lone Ranger. He was the main character in a popular TV show about a vigilante lawman with a secret identity,” she explained after seeing the identical expressions of confusion on her companions’ faces.

“Would any outlaw do?” Asked Helena. “There are plenty to choose from. Dick Turpin, Claude DuVall, John Nevison... Robin Hood, if you’re feeling romantic about the idea of armed robbery.” She reached a hand across the table to stroke the toy’s fur, ‘accidentally’ finding Myka’s hand instead.

The American trembled at the contact and her mind automatically began counting down the hours until bedtime. She turned her hand over and captured Helena’s, stilling the distracting movement. “Turpin has a nice ring to it, but I don’t think Claudia would forgive me for missing the opportunity to name something in her honour... sort of. Claude it is.”

“Can I tell Claudia on our way home?” Christina requested; a twinkle in her eye as she imagined the youngest agent’s surprise.

“Sure you can. Speaking of which, we should probably get moving; we’re supposed to be meeting the others by the cotton-candy stall in five minutes.” Myka kept Helena’s hand in her own as she stood up, prompting their departure.

Helena smiled fondly as they stood by the row of confectionary stalls with the rest of their party and watched Myka talk Christina into buying a toffee apple, which at least had fruit beneath the layer of sugar. Pete wasn’t much help as he had no self control when food was involved and walked away unabashedly with candy falling out of his pockets and each hand. She briefly wondered if his obsessive eating had anything to do with the guilt he’d felt after the loss of his father, perhaps replacing the over indulgence with alcohol? She shook her head. It didn’t matter now. He was an integral part of their family whether she liked it or not, but she made a mental note to talk to him about the impression he was making on her daughter and his responsibility as an ‘uncle’ to be a good role model. Admittedly, he was doing a fairly good job overall.

She stuck like glue to her daughter, trying not to reach out and straighten the collar of a coat for the fifth time, or stop them to re-tie a hair band that had come loose. She held onto the urge to ask if the girl was too warm or too cold, if she was thirsty, hungry, sleepy or needed to use the facilities. She watched Myka with their daughter and felt her girlfriend’s relaxed manner rub off on her a little.

Myka had told her that she was amazing and she tried to take it to heart. Myka believed it and Helena trusted her partner’s judgement. If only she could impress upon the brunette how incredible she was as well.

No one else could make Helena want to share the responsibilities and privileges of being a mother to Christina. From the moment she’d felt that tiny life fluttering inside her, she had been fiercely protective of her role in her little girl’s life. Yes, she had given too much of her time to the Warehouse and worked when she had wanted to be at home. She had simply enjoyed the thrill of the chase too much to appreciate the preciousness of parenthood, but she was hardly the first or the last person to do that. Being given a second chance should possibly have made her more protective of that role, but Myka made it easy to share.

There was no push and pull between them when it came to Christina. Or, not yet at least. Myka filled a hole in her heart, in her life, that she hadn’t known was there. From Myka’s whispered confession following their return from Paris, Helena knew that their dynamic had shifted significantly. The American had bonded to her child and it only felt natural to extend her role to the other woman. The question of them not being a family someday had never entered her mind.

As they walked towards their exit, HG felt something she’d hoped never to feel again; the tingling of apprehension that precluded the discovery of a curiosity. She looked to her girlfriend and saw the telltale sign of a furrowed brow just seconds before Claudia’s fateful question.

_“Does anyone else smell fudge?”_

* * * * *

Myka felt her stomach plunge. This couldn’t be happening. Most of them were Warehouse agents but surely they were entitled to a few days to themselves without the world of artefacts interfering? She felt Pete’s eyes on her and met his gaze with almost identical concern. Neither one of them had counted on being in this situation with their respective partners any time soon. Pete’s last experience of introducing a girlfriend to the world of weird had not gone well and considering the deepening of his feelings for Lila, the last thing he wanted was to scare her off.

Agent Bering squared her shoulders, knowing that at least three of their group would be especially vulnerable if there proved to be a dangerous artefact around, and therefore, she would need to step up her game. Christina and Lila were innocent and completely unaware of the dangers they could face, and HG was so tense that she was likely to kenpo the next person who looked at her into a coma.

She felt her natural leadership instinct kick in and began assigning tasks to her fellow agents. She opted to keep Lila with her and Helena as, not only would she provide another pair of eyes to watch Christina, it would give Pete more freedom to do his job.

* * * * *

Steve and Claudia kept their eyes peeled as they moved through crowds and searched for tell tale signs of their personal brand of craziness. Other than a few odd fashion choices though, they’d covered half the length of the fairground without spotting anything.

“You sure you smelt fudge Claude?” Jinksy glanced sceptically at his partner. He wasn’t quite as attuned with the rush of unease that came with an artefact; his talents lying more in the personal one on one interrogation. “It is a fairground. I’m sure we could buy it here if we wanted.”

“Nu-uh, Poopy Pooperson. Warehouse fudge has a distinctive scent. It’s not your regular Hershey’s brand.” She caught the frantic motion of a scuffle in her peripheral vision and grabbed Steve’s arm to drag him with her. “Something’s brewing and we need to stamp it out before it gets its natural born killer instinct on.”

They approached the Duck-Shot booth, both praising their good timing as they managed to pull a tethered pellet gun from the game attendant and separate him and his indignant customer.

“Hey, federal agent!” Steve shouted and waved his badge in an effort to regain some order. “Both of you need to calm down and start explaining some things.”

Claudia turned to the punter. “You start. Name first,” she told him.

“Rick Greally. I was just playing the game. I was having a lucky streak and then this guy starts yelling at me, calls me a cheat and refuses to let me have another go or give me my prizes!” He glared at the stall operator from beneath a baseball cap. “I’m a paying customer; you can’t treat me like that!”

“I’m not giving merchandise away to cheats!” The disgruntled worker shouts back. “That’s just good business.”

Agent Jinks glanced between the two irate men, searching for a hint of untruth as they continued to question the pair. So far there was nothing blaringly obvious. The booth operator was slightly shifty, choosing his words carefully, but Steve had been getting that vibe from fairground workers his whole life, like it was in their job description. Rick continued to demand the prizes he’d won fair and square and the booth operator, Derek Needwood, continued to refuse.

“Ok, Derek.” Steve began in his calmest and firmest tone. “If he played the game and you can’t prove that he cheated, which I don’t think he did; I can spot a lie a mile off and he’s not lying; you need to either reimburse him or give him his prizes.”

Rick, who was beginning to get red in the face, gestured wildly. “I’m not taking my money back. I want my prizes!”

“I don’t buy it,” Derek exclaimed. “There’s a ratio of 1 win to 10 tries on this game. Sometimes people get lucky and win two or three times, but he’s a freak of nature!” He pointed accusingly at Rick. “100% success rate! He’s going to clean me out; I’ll be out of business!”

Claudia huffed and rolled her eyes. “Typical,” she murmured. As an aside to Steve, she whispered, “We’re getting nowhere with these two. Neither one of them remembers touching anything strange.”

“I’ll get a list of the places Rick’s been,” Steve suggested as he kept half an eye on the situation in front of them. “We need to check in with the others and see if they’ve come across anything to do with luck or heightened skill.”

“On it,” Claudia saluted and reached for her Farnsworth. She opened the bronze case as she stepped away from the raised voices. “OK, Pete or Myka?” She thought carefully for a moment before deciding to check in with Pete first, thinking that Myka would appreciate having updates from all of them in one go. He answered on the third ring but as Claudia peered into the screen, all she could see were feet and gravel. “Pete?”

* * * * *

Pete had followed Myka’s instructions to check out the rides, but after talking to three operators, he was convinced that he was on the wrong track.

He thought of Lila, HG and Christina and didn’t like the churning in his stomach. If ever they needed a quick resolution, it was today. Lila had seemed to handle the sudden tension well, but as she really had no idea how bad things could get, the response was not unusual.

Agent Wells on the other hand was hyper aware of the dangers they could be facing and Pete worried that the physical reminder would be too much for her and that, in her state of panic, she would try to run again. She had not long agreed to take on the somewhat removed position of Key Researcher and seemed to be enjoying it, which in turn made Myka happier and less irritable, which was better for his overall wellbeing. He preferred happy Myka; she was less punchy.

Following a gut feeling, Pete left the quadrant of big rides and wandered over to a sign that said ‘Mystic Meg’ in large swirling script. He chuckled to himself, remembering a recent hunt with Steve at a renaissance fair and then shrugged. It wasn’t often that artefacts fell into their laps in the same manner, but there was definitely a theme with some of them and he figured it couldn’t hurt to take a look.

Pushing passed a heavy velvet curtain, Pete found himself lost in a cloud of incense and coughed. A low hum of amusement drew his attention and he turned to find who he assumed was Meg.

“Who enters the inner sanctum without an invite?” Came a half-amused voice. “Most rude.” She chuckled and looked over her visitor with a knowing eye. “Well?”

Pete searched for something, anything to say, but found himself uncharacteristically lost for words. He felt something. Like he was hanging on a precipice and didn’t know whether to edge away or dive off.

“Perhaps you should take a seat while you find your tongue,” the mystic suggested as she reached for her cards and began idly shuffling them. After a moment, she leant towards the now seated agent and studied him for a good minute before relaxing back into her seat. “So, Peter,” she smirked at the sudden widening of his eyes. “What brings you to me?”

Pete found the words ready at the tip of his tongue the moment she asked the question, and they fell from his lips seemingly without effort. “I’m looking for something.”

“Yes,” she agreed in a halting manner. “Many of those who seek me out are ‘looking for something’, but that means a great many things to different people. You are not looking for something you’ve lost but for something you’ve never had.” She studied him again and he felt a curious sensation on the back of his neck. “Possibly something you’ve only recently begun to think about.”

Agent Lattimer’s mouth opened like a fish’s. “How...?”

“It matters not,” she declared with a casual wave of her hand. “Have faith; you will find what you seek soon enough. Presently, I believe you have a task to complete? I don’t have your... artefact. Try the hoops.” She placed her cards back on the table and stood as if to leave.

Pete found himself following suit. He wanted to say something; to ask her a dozen questions or even just to thank her for easing his mind, but found himself once again mute. He turned to go, stopping at the heavy velvet curtain when her scratchy voice filled the air again.

“Take care Agent Lattimer,” she warned him with a chuckle. “Your usual antics may not be so easily forgiven when the changes that are coming take hold of your partner.”

Pete left the smoke filled den in a daze, needing to shake his head several times before his thoughts began to resemble order again. He found himself at the Ring-Toss game and remembered her comment about hoops. He wanted to go back and investigate further, but when he turned round, Mystic Meg’s was nowhere in sight.

“Ok Lattimer. That was weird, even for you. Time to get back on track.” He didn’t want to admit it, but he trusted the clairvoyant’s tip and began looking around for strange objects or suspect behaviour. No sooner had he stepped up behind a young teen, who was just about to try her luck at the game, when he was hit with a big vibe.

The girl looked to be about fourteen and Pete spotted what must be a gaggle of her friends standing off to one side, waiting on her. It happened the moment the guy behind the counter handed her change to her. One moment, she was nervously eyeing up the hoops and targets, the next moment, a breeze passed over her and her whole demeanour transformed.

Her back straightened, shoulders pushed back, a confident grin took over her features and she winked at her friends. She picked up the first hoop, weighed it in her hand and with a casual flick of her wrist, tossed it cleanly over a peg.

This process replayed six times until the stall operator declared that she’d reached her maximum number of wins and asked her to leave. By then though, a crowd had gathered, including the group of teens who were now making such a racket that Pete found he could hardly make himself heard.

“Hey! You’ve got no right to send us away just ‘cuz she’s winning.” A tall, wide shouldered youth towered over the booth, making the now sweating fairground worker back up a couple of steps.

“Yeah dude. Where does it say that in the game rules, huh?” Another jock-like lad piped up next to his peer.

The girl in question looked determined too, her stance becoming more rigid as she refused to move. “I’m having another go. I’ll leave when your game beats me.”

Agent Lattimer had managed to use his bulk to push between the spectators and situated himself in front of the teens, blocking their path to the game. “Ok people. I’m Pete, from the fair games commission. I just have to ask a few questions before we can sort this out and make everyone happy again.” He heard some spluttering from behind and what sounded like ‘what games commission?’ He turned and gave the cowering worker a pointed stare. “Hey buddy,” he whispered. “Trying to help you out here; do you mind?” The guy retreated, shaking his head, letting Pete turn back to his audience. “First off though, I need to investigate reports of counterfeit coins in circulation today. Miss, could you turn out your pockets please?”

Several pairs of eyes frowned at him in confusion but the girl moved to do as he asked. The way she eyed the booth told him that her focus was firmly on getting back to the game. As soon as the coins were back in her hand and Pete finished putting on his purple gloves to reach for them, her expression changed again, panic and anger taking over. Pete tried to make a swift grab and found himself being tackled to the floor by the two large teens he’d heard arguing earlier.

His Farnsworth rang and he just managed to reach into his pocket to open it before it was knocked from his grasp. From a few feet away, he heard Claudia’s voice and tried desperately to escape his captors without hurting them. They were minors after all.

Using his vast wrestling experience, he managed to break the grip of the lad holding his arms and then swept his legs round to lock the other teen in place, preventing him from moving. He made another grab for the communicator and whooped in triumph as he brought Claudia’s image to face him.

“Pete, what’s going on?”

“I think I found it Claude. But Beavis and Butthead here decided to get a little Pete action and I haven’t managed to get my hands on it yet. I could use a hand with the snagging and bagging,” he admitted around his bravado.

The red head agent hesitated, but after a quick tête-à-tête with her partner, she nodded. “I’m on my way. Where are you exactly?”

* * * * *

While Claudia and Steve were walking the length of the fairground, and Pete was interviewing ride operators, Myka was doing her best to keep Helena calm and reassure her other companions that everything was going to be alright. At the same time, she had to keep an eye out for anything that could tell them about the type of artefact they were facing.

“So, why is smelling fudge so bad?” Lila asked after they’d been walking for about five minutes. “Not everyone likes fudge, but you guys seem to really not like it.” She was walking behind Christina, as HG had asked her to so they were blocking her on three sides. She had been aware that Pete’s job was hush-hush. The occasional snippet of conversation she’d gleaned from his side of the phone had given her reason to pause more than once, but as she looked at the deathly serious expressions on his friends’ faces, she began to realise that there was a lot more to it than she could ever have imagined.

Myka frowned, considering her explanation. She hesitated, knowing that her ability to lie convincingly still wasn’t a polished skill.

HG on the other hand was quite at home with subterfuge and proved it nicely the moment she began her delivery. She wasn’t in a soft approach mood and wanted to keep Pete’s girlfriend as quiet as possible so they could concentrate more easily. “It isn’t  f.u.d.g.e, but rather ph.u.g. Phosphor-uranium-gadolinium. A compound that when heated, produces a chemical reaction that would be disastrous for anyone standing within ten square miles.”

Myka glanced sharply at her lover. She was impressed as always with Helena’s quick thinking, but she was laying it on a bit thick and the American worried that younger ears would soak up the explanation and become overly concerned. “There’s nothing to worry about though, as long as the compound remains in its dormant state. That’s why we want to find it A.S.A.P.”

“Ok,” Lila murmured as she looked between the two agents. There was obviously some sort of silent communication passing between them. It was both sweet and annoying. She wasn’t sure what she thought of HG’s explanation, but whatever was going on, it seemed like she wasn’t going to get the truth out of them any time soon. At least, she hoped that was the case. She really didn’t want to be stuck in the middle of some sort of terrorist plot.

Beginning to feel her unease burn uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach, Myka glanced again at Helena. She had seen the Brit in a state of great distress before, but the woman who stood beside Christina now, actually scared her a little. There was a wild fire in her eyes and if there was any sort of combustible compound in the near vicinity, it was in that stare.

She wondered for a moment why she had thought it was a good idea to bring them along. Though it was simple really. The idea of this artefact finding HG waiting in the parking lot with nothing but two innocents to back her up had been terrifying. At least together, she felt like there was some small amount of protection.

Still, Helena was suffering under the weight of her anxiety; it was imperative that they bag this artefact quickly. With a spark of inspiration, Myka made for the security station and flashed her badge as she began to question the guard there.

“I don’t see how this is any business of the secret service. Far as I know, only presidents round here are those four heads up the road.” The guard on duty had been watching something on a small screen just out of their view and was not pleased at having been disturbed.

Myka could feel Helena’s irate presence just behind her, but before she found the need to calm her down in some way, there came a flurry of panicked chatter over the guard’s radio.

~ _Chris calling Kane. We’ve got a situation over in the red zone. Requesting assistance... NOW!~_

Kane scrambled, almost dropping his portable TV, and grabbed the radio. “Kane here. What sort of assistance?!”

Myka itched to snatch the radio from him, but chose to keep listening, her arm holding tight to Helena’s waist, willing her to have a drop of patience.

“I don’t think these guys get many emergencies,” Lila muttered from the back.

_~Just send some guys! Folk’s are going crazy hittin’ each other, and I’ve got some guy chasin’ a girl, sayin’ he’s Secret Service.~_

The line crackled and a few shouts of panic and anger could be heard before it went dead. The small Warehouse crew felt the guard’s gaze on them and Myka levelled him with a no-nonsense stare. He quickly sent out the same S.O.S to several other guards and then turned to his audience.

“He is Secret Service,” she assured him. “If he’s chasing someone then she’s got what we’re looking for. We can clear this up quickly. Just tell me where the red zone is.”

He hesitated just long enough for HG to snap. She’d had more than enough; she was scared and angry, and felt useless in that capacity. Irritable didn’t even come close to explaining her state of being. She twisted out of her girlfriend’s grip and stepped into the tiny security room, ignoring the indignant choking sound that came from the guard. A quick scan of the desk behind him gave her what she wanted; a map of the park, clearly labelled for staff use. She ripped it out from under an empty pizza box and handed it to Myka, completely disregarding the complaints that followed them away from Kane’s throne of authority.

Myka had her bearings in seconds and handed the map back to Helena. She began to move off, felt the inventor start to follow and stopped again. “Helena, you need to wait here,” she reminded her gently.

HG only had to glance at her daughter to nod in agreement. She hated the idea of watching her lover leap into the fray without her, but Christina’s safety came first. Her conflicted gaze trapped green eyes for a moment, communicating more with Myka than words ever could.

With a quick kiss to trembling lips and a tender touch to a young wavy head of hair, the lanky agent was off, sprinting across the asphalt in the direction of the red zone.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

She wanted to pace. She wanted to charge off in the same direction she’d seen Myka leave. She wanted this day to end so she could cuddle up in bed, safe and sound with her family. She wanted to feel Myka’s arms wrapped tightly around her waist, the warmth of the American’s body surrounding her as they watched Christina sleep beside them. She couldn’t.

Raucous thoughts tumbled over one another in an effort to be heard as she voiced platitudes to her daughter. It was beginning to dawn on her that there was no escaping the Warehouse. Even in the middle of a suburban idyll, it had found her. Running again was not really an option. Not only could she not leave Myka, but she couldn’t rip Christina from the only other parent she’d ever known. It was a difficult reality to come to terms with, but she would have to.

Lila had gently suggested that they find a picnic table to sit at while they waited and HG silently agreed. Now, the inventor was sitting astride the bench in a very unladylike fashion with Christina facing the table, her head resting forlornly against HG’s chest.

A long silence had followed as each of them passed the time with introspection. Helena’s arms held her daughter close, a hand stroking midnight locks and senses taking in every good feeling that made the wait just about bearable. After a while, she felt the girl’s body begin to sag and knew that the long day was beginning to wear on her.

“Are you tired, Love?” Helena kissed the top of Christina’s nodding head and then looked down into worried depths. “We shouldn’t have to wait too much longer. Myka is rather good at this sort of thing.” She caught Lila’s raised eyebrow and cracked a smile. “Pete, Claudia and Steve have their moments of brilliance too.”

“How long have you known them?” Lila wondered aloud, looking to pass the time.

Helena thought for a moment. “Three years. Though as a recurring... colleague, rather than a permanent fixture.” It felt like she had known Myka her entire life. Was it really only three years? “When I met Pete and Myka, they were charged with apprehending me after I escaped confinement,” she smirked, treasuring the confusion that fell over Lila’s expression. “Suffice it to say, we’ve had many interesting moments.” She studied that face for a moment, chewing over a thought that had pleaded for her attention for a while now. “You remind me of a young woman I used to know.”

“I do?”

“Yes.” HG shifted a little and looked down to see if Christina was managing to stay awake. Though her eyelids were drooping, there was too much worry there for her to find rest yet. Helena checked her watch again. Ten minutes wasn’t long for Myka to be gone. “Christina,” she prodded gently, hoping to help keep all their minds distracted for a few minutes. “Does Lila remind you of anyone?”

The girl’s curiosity got the better of her and she lifted her head to study Uncle Pete’s girlfriend. Since meeting Lila a few weeks ago, she had found a fascination with her pretty, reddish blonde hair and kind grey eyes and taken an almost instant liking to her. Pete was especially goofy when she was around too and that was always entertaining. There hadn’t been many blondes in her family’s acquaintance and only one that had shown such patience and understanding. “Josephine,” she ventured at last.

Helena smiled fondly at the memory of her mother’s young maid. They had practically grown up together and she had been a young HG Wells’ first crush and first kiss. “My thoughts exactly.”

Lila noted the familiar look of love lost and canted her head to one side. “Ex-girlfriend?”

HG hummed her amusement at the idea that she and Jo could have had anything resembling an open relationship, even if the young blonde hadn’t eventually married and left Helena to find her own trysts, and before long, Christina’s father. She had returned to work for the Wells matriarch and was put in charge of Christina’s care whenever Helena was forced to visit with her mother. “Not quite. I suppose you could say that we had a close friendship that crossed an experimental line once or twice. She was very dear to me. Christina has her namesake.”

Lila was quiet for a minute, worrying her lip as she thought about another close relationship. “Has it ever worried you; Myka and Pete working so closely together?” The young woman hesitated as she considered how much of her concern she should share. “Pete mentioned that she had an affair with her partner before...” she trailed off at the sudden spark of fury in HG eyes. “Sorry, I don’t mean to question her character, I just... I’ve been burnt that way before.”

The older Victorian nodded and tried to soften her expression. “Quite frankly, no. I trust Myka implicitly. Pete has proven his penchant for women of many a variety, but he is loyal and I’ve seen the way he looks at you; he won’t stray.” She sighed and looked at her watch again. “If you decide that this is a life you could live with, of course.”

Lila couldn’t help checking her own watch and sighed. “I don’t suppose it would do me any good to ask you to tell me what’s really going on?”

Helena shook her head regretfully. “I’m afraid not, dear. It’s Pete’s place to discuss the many pitfalls and perks to being permanently associated with our queer little family.” She noted the deepening worry in those grey eyes and decided to take pity on the young blonde. “In my vast experience dear, there is really only one question you should be asking yourself; is he the one?”

A thoughtful silence fell over the trio again as the seconds ticked by painfully slow. HG had taken out her Farnsworth (a condition she had requested as part of agreeing to take up the mantel of Key Researcher) and took to gazing at it, willing it to ring. They heard the sirens just seconds before the jarring klaxon of the communicator caught their attention and, with suddenly trembling hands, the inventor fumbled to open it.

Helena’s heart sank the moment Agent Lattimer’s face appeared on the screen instead of Myka’s. He looked like he’d been dragged through a hedge backward; there were scratches along his jaw and down one side of his face, a tissue stuffed up one nostril to stem the tide of a nosebleed, and a rapidly purpling area around one eye, which by morning would probably be black. On another day, HG might have spared a thought for Lila who would have to be a special woman to see the result of an hour of their work and still want to date Pete, but she was too concerned with her own lover’s wellbeing to even care.

Pete began to talk in his usual roundabout way without getting close to the point, prompting an irate stare from the Victorian. “Bloody hell Pete, will you please put a sock in it and tell me where she is!” She felt Christina jump a little and breathed a little deeper in order to calm herself down. “I’m sorry love,” she whispered gently, feeling the girl relax into her body again even as she knew that her daughter was keeping a sharp ear out for news.

Pete appeared chastised and adopted a rare expression of seriousness. “She’s fine HG. Only one scratch, but it was a tiny bit deeper than these beauties,” he gestured to his own face. “So the medics are just patching her up. She really kicked ass; I recognised a few of your moves in there too. Have you two been working out all that tension with Kenpo?”

She wasn’t in the mood to humour him, but knowing Myka was safe was enough to stop her yelling at him again. “Very well. Thank you. If you don’t require any assistance and there’s nothing further to be aware of, then we shall meet you out by the car.” She had a spare set of keys for her girlfriend’s car and wanted to find somewhere semi-private so she could talk to Christina and then take some time to appreciate the relief she felt. “Would you like to talk to Lila?”

“I’d love to but I’m being herded towards a medic for some TLC. Myka and Steve are starting to wrap things up, so we won’t be long... What? Yeah, ok buddy, I’m puttin’ it away... Gotta go HG, love to Lila!” Pete’s face vanished and Helena closed her Farnsworth with a gentle click.

“Did he look bad?” Lila asked, having noticed the initial alarm on the Brit’s face when she first answered her strange looking phone. She too was relieved that the bizarre end to their otherwise wonderful weekend was over. She was mildly disappointed that Pete hadn’t fought to speak to her, but then she wasn’t sure she was ready to see him hurt and knew logically that it was best for him to receive medical care first.

Feeling a little of herself returning, HG smirked. “That would depend on your meaning. He’s always looked peculiar to me and he really does need to visit a barber. If you’re referring to his injuries however, they’re all superficial wounds.” She suddenly had a vision of Myka in the same condition and didn’t find it so amusing. “I’m sure you’ll be quite alarmed when you first see him but truly, within a week, you will barely notice anything.”

“Mummy,” a sleepy voiced grumbled. “Are we going home now?”

“Yes, love.” Helena stood and steadied Christina as she wobbled to her feet. She wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders, wishing that she had the strength to carry her to the car. “We’re meeting Mama at the car and then we’re going home.”

The next few hours were a bit of a blur to HG Wells. The second she spotted Myka approaching the car, she leapt out, began checking her over, ‘Pete told me the medics were dressing a laceration’, and then wrapped up her in a tight embrace, tears gathering in her eyes. The American returned the gesture eagerly, for her own sense of relief as well as her partner’s, while she murmured reassurances to her lover; ‘I’m here Helena... I’m here’.

Other than a few reassurances that they were all fine and had cleared up enough of the chaos that they could take off if they wanted, there were few words spoken. Lila and Claudia volunteered to drive as neither one was too emotionally or physically exhausted and within no time it seemed, HG was standing by her daughter’s bed, agonising over leaving her. There was no extra bed in the room like at Leena’s though so other than sleep on the floor, she had no choice but to go.

Lethargic arms wrapped themselves around her waist and a gentle voice murmured in her ear. “We could have put her in our bed for one night.”

It was tempting. Like her wishful thinking from earlier in the day, curling up in bed with Myka and Christina would solve her immediate anxiety, but she knew it would be a huge step back in the long run. She closed her eyes and tried to relax into her lover’s embrace. “She needs me to be stronger than that... and so do you. We will not progress far by treading backwards.”

Myka refrained from commenting and buried her nose in fragrant hair, breathing in her lover’s calming scent. She agreed with what Helena was saying but felt the conflict too. The afternoon’s anarchy had planted a seed of fear in the young woman’s heart and she found herself calculating risk factors that normally sat easy with her. For the first time in a long time, she seriously considered resigning from her fieldwork. “I need you to be happy. If that means being strong right now, then I’ll support you all the way.”

As quietly as possible, the pair exited their daughter’s room, leaving the door ajar as they plodded across the landing. Rather than try to sleep right away, knowing that it wouldn’t come easily, they began to quietly pack up their belongings ready for an early start the following morning. Eventually exhausted, Myka stripped down to her underwear and threw on a t-shirt, encouraging Helena to do the same, even as the inventor protested between yawns that she wasn’t tired. She pulled her girlfriend into bed, gently requesting the other woman’s presence to help her sleep.

Helena lay on her back; Myka’s arms wrapped securely around her middle, and stared at the ceiling. There were choices to be made, conversations to be had, and plans to be set in motion. Her mind had never been able to let her rest when there were questions to be answered. She found herself in a quandary; stuck at a fork with no sight of where either road might lead her. Currently, the only thing she knew for sure was that, whichever path she moved forward on, Myka and Christina had to be by her side.

She recalled a similar dilemma she’d had when her daughter was merely an infant. Should she spend her time nurturing the little girl at home, while unknowable dangers surfaced all around them? Or should she use her vast skills to make the world a safer place for when said child one day ventured out on her own?

Could she ask Myka to leave the Warehouse? Would the dedicated agent even consider the option? HG had been the cause of the brunette’s departure once before, but that had been a crisis of faith, this would be a decision made as a family wanting to live a life free of random attacks from not-so-inanimate objects.

Helena rolled her eyes. _Ridiculous,_ she thought to herself. In her many years as an agent and later as an enemy of the Warehouse, no one had ever left and managed to stay away. Those who caught the attention of the regents were invariably connected to the peculiar happenings therein for life. The reason more people didn’t get sucked in, was quite simply because they weren’t aware that the bizarre things they sometimes glimpsed were not simply figments of their imagination.

She and Myka were in far too deep to just ignore the weird and wonderful, and Helena had to admit to herself that, underneath the fear and anger, there had been a tremor of excitement the moment of Claudia’s olfactory discovery, just as there had been in Boone as she’d been swabbing that prisoner for evidence.

The Warehouse would never completely let go of her and it seemed as if she would never entirely let go of it either.

She sighed wearily. If she was going to try living semi-normal life while continuing to investigate artefacts with her fellow agents, she was going to have to accept the risks that would come along for the ride. Running away was a path that moved in a perpetual circle and eventually she would end up right back in this place of uncertainty. Grabbing the bull by the horns seemed like the only logical option any more. This time though, she would have support.

Glancing down, she thought about how precious and precarious life was and knew that nothing in the world could ever stop her worrying about Myka or Christina. It was a difficulty she would have to learn to live with because, like it or not, this was their life.

Eyelids eventually drifted shut over a resolute gaze. She was HG Wells. She had built a working time-machine that transported one’s consciousness to bodies from the past. Had lain in bronze for over a century and woken to eventually win the love of the beautiful creature resting beside her. Had been given a second chance to be the mother she had always wanted to be. Was free from a time when her independence had been looked upon more like a disease and free to make her mark out from under her brother’s shadow.

_Time to stop living in the past,_ her inner voice muttered as sleep finally took over and pulled her under.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Snapping on her purple gloves and readjusting protective glasses Myka approached the badly behaving artefact that had triggered the Warehouse sensors. Pete cowered behind her, claiming that this particular artefact had tried to whammy him before and would likely try again now it had a taste of the Pete Machine.

So far, it had been a fairly normal day at the Warehouse. Artie was grouchy and complained loudly about Claudia’s numerous improvements to his gadgets, while the junior agent rolled her eyes at him and accused him of being a fossil. Myka had listened to their bickering with an amused smile hidden behind a book until several disturbances lit up the red head’s screen.

One of their recent missions had seen them procuring an artefact from the Middle East. The figure of Inana having pinged on their radar after an entire village had been caught in a haze of lustful energy, which incited riots between disgruntled spouses once the fun was over. True to form, Pete had come close to causing an international incident when his flirtatious habits had stirred already simmering tempers, though he insisted that the artefact was the culprit of his sudden inability to keep his eyes above shoulder level.

“Hey Mykes?” He eyed the statuette in their line of sight, distracted as he always was by the prominent breasts and thighs.

“Yeah Pete?” She half listened to her partner, knowing that whatever he was thinking about wasn’t necessarily linked to their task.

His hands rested on her shoulders, while most of him was hidden behind her slimmer figure. He had seriously weird vibes about this Buddha-ette as he liked to call it. “I always wondered what lesbians think about when faced with something like this,” he gestured over her shoulder.

Myka frowned and paused to look sideways at the overgrown boy behind her. “What!?”

“Well, you know, you have experience now. Do you stop to appreciate the female form now you’re all up with the lady love? Does it remind you of HG? ”

Scowling, Myka began to count slowly to ten in her head, but one stray thought of Pete trying to imagine Helena naked and she gave up, hitting him in a flurry of jabs.

“Ow, ow!” Pete’s arms rose to deflect her attack, remaining there until she was done. “What? I just thought you might share your insight.”

“What in God’s name gave you the impression that I’d talk to you about such a thing!?” She demanded, still scowling.

He gave her his trademark puppy dog look. “Hey, I don’t have any guy friends to talk about it with. Steve’s a no go and asking Artie would be too weird.”

Myka sighed, feeling sympathy for his situation. “I may have a girlfriend but I’m still not you, Pete.”

Pete shrugged, deflating slightly. “Yeah, I guess... Claudia really needs to get a boyfriend,” he muttered as his partner turned back to their task. “So what do you think? Is it her time of the month or what?”

Rolling her eyes and gritting her teeth, the curly-haired agent let his comment slip past her. Usually, she had a lot of patience for her brother-like colleague, but she was on edge and really needed him to just shut his mouth.

The little figurine glowed with an ethereal light and hummed at a resonance that seemed to reach inside Myka, touching her very soul. It had appeared innocuous enough when they brought it into the Warehouse a few weeks back, but Artie and Claudia had reported an alarming increase in disturbances in the vicinity since their snag, bag and tag.

“I doubt it, Pete.” They were less than three feet away now with no sign of anything different happening. Artie had ordered them to neutralise the artefact and pack it in a special crate so they could transport it and investigate its behaviour in a safer environment. “Right, have you got the goo-hose?” She heard him snigger to himself and shot him a withering stare. “Really?”

He didn’t look the slightest bit abashed and said, “Lila would have cracked a smile.”

“Then she really is made for you.” Myka raised an eyebrow and waited until he indicated that he was indeed ready with the hose. Nodding, she began to turn back, missing the confusion on her partner’s face as Pete tugged on the nozzle without realising that the extension had become wrapped around his foot.

With a sharp yank, followed by a yelp of surprise, agent Lattimer went toppling over, his body twisting and arms flailing in an attempt to right himself. Myka heard the cry but was barely able to respond before meaty hands were pulling her down, knocking her glasses from her nose. She felt her head hit the ground hard and then Pete’s weight was forcing all the air from her lungs. She clawed at him for a brief moment until he noticed her struggle and shifted so that he was hovering over and no longer crushing his best friend.

“Oops, sorry Mykes.” He grinned down at her sheepishly and began to get up, but before he could go far, their attention shifted to the sound of grinding stone.

Responding automatically, both agents turned to the source of the disturbance. Too late, Myka realised their mistake; Pete’s glasses had disappeared during the fall too and a sudden flash of kaleidoscopic colour bounced off their retinas, catching them both by surprise.

The musical vibrations that had filled Myka’s chest before intensified tenfold and a not unpleasant warmth filled her. Her vision swam with luminescent colours; disorienting the agent and making her forget where she was for a moment. Hard lips pressed down against her own and she felt her body react, hips pushing upward of their own volition as her breathing changed to indicate her sudden arousal.

Myka’s senses returned to her the moment her companion’s bulky frame pushed back and over-large hands began touching her in places that were reserved for another. Eyes widening in alarm, agent Bering reacted without though, her knee rising sharply between her friend’s legs and a forearm jabbing against his exposed throat, both actions succeeding in forcing him off her.

She scrambled toward where her glasses had been thrown during Pete’s clumsy fall and shoved them on her face before grabbing the end of the goo-hose and turning it on their intended artefact. A shower of sparks tumbled down around them like fireworks, illuminating their immediate surroundings. Once the lightshow was over, Myka lowered the hose, narrowly resisting the temptation to spray the neutralising liquid inside her mouth for good measure.

She glanced at Pete, still clutching his groin, and shuddered. “Some days I really hate this place.”

* * * * *

Laughter drifted on a gentle breeze from the back garden of the new Wells/Bering abode, announcing to any passer-by that at least two of the three residents were home. Neighbours may have frowned somewhat at the sudden appearance of the couple and their daughter; whispers of unnatural pairings and unsuitable environments for children were hidden behind hands and holier than thou attitudes, but no one could really deny that this unconventional family was deliriously happy.

The taller of the couple had a smile for everyone, while her British counterpart disarmed anyone who challenged them with a few words and a knowing smirk, and the good natured, well mannered eight year old gave proof to anyone looking for it, that she was well nurtured and quite content with her lot.

Today, Helena and Christina were studying biology, specifically, the life-cycle and structure of flowering plants. Inside, they had left books and scribblings of ideas out on the table, but currently they were investigating the garden for evidence of this year’s passing bloom. The previous occupants had been keen gardeners so there was plenty to discover and the hem of the eight year old’s skirt was soon covered in soil.

Helena chuckled to herself as she noticed the dirt caked on her daughter’s clothes. She had attempted to convince Christina that it would be more practical for her to wear trousers to work outdoors, but the young girl was adamant that she preferred a dress or skirt. She didn’t understand it herself; at Christina’s age she had detested the restrictions of ‘female’ clothing and had been known to sneak into her brother’s trousers when she thought no one was around. But as long as her daughter had a choice and wouldn’t be ridiculed for that choice, HG was content. She wasn’t about to be the one who pushed her child into a mould.

Or she hoped not at least.

She tried as much as possible to share her interests with the young girl without insisting that she like them. It warmed her heart when they could sit down together and enjoy the same activity. Reading was one of those things that the three of them liked to do together, though recently, Christina had taken an interest in films and theatre, and they often found her acting out scenes from her favourite movies. Myka had informed her that it was common for modern children to aspire to be on TV, but it saddened the Victorian to think of her little girl selling herself short.

“Look, Mummy,” Christina shouted from the far side of a juniper bush. “They look like a cross between daisies and sunflowers.”

“Yes they do don’t they. They’re called...” She flicked through a book of native plants, stopping when the young girl poked her finger at the coinciding photo. “Ah. Rudbeckia-Hirta or Black-eyed Susans. There should be plenty of seeds lying around, love. See if you can find and gather a few.” HG moved over to a tall shrub with a few more flower heads intact. “And over here I believe we have... A Great Blue Lobelia with an unfortunate Latin name,” she mumbled to herself. “Lobelia Siphilitica.”

Christina knelt down in the grass, using her skirt to hold the seeds and dead flowers she gathered while her mother identified a few of their other garden residents.

Midmorning, Helena called for a break in their explorations and proposed having tea in the conservatory. The late autumn weather had turned their noses and cheeks pink and HG was cautious of not exposing her daughter to a prolonged chill.

Theodore, Angelina and Roquefort joined in with their own toy-sized cups and plastic food. One of the first gifts Myka bought for Christina after moving into their new home was the replica Victorian dolls’ tea set.

Christina poured milk into their tea and pretended to serve her toys. HG thanked her and smiled behind her cup. She watched her daughter playing make believe, savouring the delightful way the girl asked her dolls questions and repeated their answers for her benefit. One day, in a not too distant future, Christina would grow out of these childish imaginings and their lives would never be the same.

“We don’t have any coffee today, Rocky,” the eight year old addressed her racoon, which seemed to have absorbed elements of Myka’s personality, including her fondness for the bitter drink. “How about some lovely tea instead?” She proceeded to ‘pour out’ the beverage and offered him a biscuit. “Would you like one, Mummy?”

HG reached for a custard-cream but refrained from dipping it in her tea. “Thank you, darling.” She joined in the ‘conversation’ with the toys, chuckling to herself sporadically.

Christina had eaten what she wanted and almost finished her tea by the time HG thought they should be getting back to work, but the girl was so absorbed in her game that the older woman couldn’t bear to interrupt.“Angelina, you must practise your curtsey, the queen is coming to visit and she’ll be here any minute!” The girl scolded her doll. “Theodore, strike up the band, I think I hear her.” Christina had Myka’s teddy hiding under the table, but had to stop as she searched for something.

“What have you lost, love?” Helena asked curiously.

The girl stuck her head under the table but came up still frowning. “I had a black cloth for Victoria’s dress. I can’t see it.”

HG’s eyebrow rose. “Queen Victoria?”

“Of course, Mummy. The Empress can only wear black.” She sighed in defeat. “I know I had it before lunch,” she mumbled to herself.

The inventor thought about introducing the topic of Victoria’s death and the successive line of royals, but decided to save it for another day. Some days it seemed like Christina didn’t quite distinguish between relocating to another country and relocating to another time. It was as if, in moving to America, England was forever stuck in the 1800’s in the girl’s mind. HG feared that bringing up the subject would spark questions about their long lost loved ones.

Once the dishes were washed and put away, the pair settled back at the dining room table with their spoils from the garden and Helena talked Christina through the finer points of plant structure and reproduction.

Sometime around two o’clock, she left the girl to her sketches and entered the kitchen to try her hand at baking something for dinner. As a girl herself, her mother had insisted that she spend time with their cook to pick up a few domestic skills. Though her parents had had high hopes for her marrying well, Mrs. Wells had been a practical woman and was adamant that it wouldn’t do the young HG any harm to acquire a few skills to impress potential suitors. Needless to say, Helena had not been amused by the notion and her tutorials had stuck in her mind as periods of torture.

Now however, she was excited by the idea of providing a home-cooked meal for her family. Creating things from scratch had always interested her, but it meant so much more when that creation was intended to bring joy to the people she loved.

* * * * *

Returning from the Warehouse early, Myka lifted a trembling hand to the front door of her home and, after several attempts, managed to fit her key into the lock. She entered the storm porch and removed her shoes and coat, placing both items next to Helena and Christina’s. Through her troubled thoughts, she still managed to smile fondly at this simple reminder of her family.

Inside the house, the hallway stretched the length from front to back, a staircase climbing up toward the first floor and doors lining the walls, leading to various rooms. Immediately to her left and right were the study and living room, respectively, and beyond those, the kitchen and dining room. The parquet floor and ornate doors had captured her and Helena’s attention the moment they’d followed the estate agent inside. Looking out over the balcony that led from the master bedroom, HG had taken her hand and looked deep into her eyes, communicating her desire without words. That look had been everything Myka needed to convince her that this was the house for them.

 With a reasonable cash injection from Helena’s sizable savings, the surveys and contracts were completed and signed off within a week. The property had been vacant, so a week into November, after a fair amount of furniture shopping in town and online, they had soon been ready to move in.

Myka paused at the bottom of the stairs, holding onto the balustrade while taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She debated the wisdom in searching Helena out verses a cold shower.

She and Pete had managed to crate up the small stone statuette and carried it to where Artie was waiting, in a tranquil room not far from the Pete-cave.  She had made her partner swear not to breathe a word of what had transpired between them before mumbling some feasible excuse and then escaping to her car. The entire drive home, she’d tried to calm the pounding flow of blood to certain sensitive parts of her body, occupying her thoughts with the mundane and avoiding anything that would incite images of Helena. It would not have been the best end to the day to find herself nose down in a ditch.

Her foot had just touched the bottom step when a voice called out from the kitchen, beaconing her. She chuckled to herself and blew out an air of frustration, taking a moment to gather her strength before heading for the kitchen.

The sight that greeted her there had surely been sent to test her. Helena was a vision, with shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows and flour smudged everywhere but on her apron. Jeans clung to muscle and flesh like a second skin and Myka bit her lip to smother a moan at the thought of running her hands over those toned thighs.

Helena flicked her head in an awkward manner and puffed out a breath of air to try and brush a lock of hair out of her eyes. Myka chucked in the doorway, gaining her lover’s attention.

HG’s head turned to the open archway and she smiled warmly. “Hello, Love. I thought I heard the door. Are you done for the day?”

“Mmhmm, fortunately.” Myka prowled the length of the kitchen, skirting the centre island, and wrapped her arms around HG’s waist, looking closely over her shoulder at the contents of her bowl. She felt her control slipping as her girlfriend’s warm scent drifted up from an open collar. “I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this; you look good enough to eat.” She demonstrated the validity of her statement by wrapping her lips around a convenient earlobe.

HG gasped and felt her knees buckle. “Myka!” She squeaked in surprise at the unexpected force in her girlfriend’s attentions. Her eyes closed involuntarily and for a moment, she let her body fall into the other agent’s arms, but when lips began to explore her neck and fingers slipped under her shirt to play along the waist of her jeans, she felt her senses return to her. “Myka,” she repeated with more authority. She turned in the embrace and caught wandering hands. “Darling, you know your attentions are never unwelcome, but Christina is just across the hall. Perhaps this can wait until later?”

Myka’s thoughts battled through a haze of lust, her gaze drifting from HG’s concerned eyes to the hollows and swells that hid beneath the loose fabric of the inventor’s shirt. With effort, she screwed her eyes shut and pulled her hands back, wrapping her arms around herself.  She felt Helena reach out to try to comfort her and pulled away sharply, doubting her ability to keep her passions in check. “Helena, please. I’m sorry... I can’t control...” She watched her lover’s mouth form words, but heard none of it. Her fingers tingled, mouth watered and nerve ending throbbed with need. Without another word, Myka ran from the kitchen and jogged as lightly as she could up the stairs to their room.

HG stood in her girlfriend’s wake, frowning. The agent’s behaviour screamed of Warehouse mojo, as Pete would call it. Myka was clearly aroused and lacking her usual control. She wanted to follow Myka upstairs but after the scene in the kitchen, she wasn’t sure that she would be free to leave the bedroom any time soon and she still had to consider their daughter. Uninhibited, her girlfriend could be very loud in bed, and neither of them wanted Christina to be a witness to that level of passion between them.

Making a quick decision, Helena picked up the cordless phone and hit the speed-dial for the B&B. “Leena, hello... Yes, it’s Helena... Well, I would like to ask a favour of you if you’re amenable... I think Myka may be experiencing some side-effects from whatever she’s been in contact with today... I am aware that it may be necessary to call Artie, but it is rather an intimate side-effect and we would prefer to work through the symptoms privately, at least until we’ve no other option... Thank you darling, I appreciate your discretion... Yes, I was going to ask if you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on Christina for a couple of hours...” Her patient expression darkened as she thought about Leena’s last comment, though she soon realised that the young woman had a valid point. “It would be more logical to take her back to the B&B for a time, you’re right. It’s not like she hasn’t spent time there before,” she added more to reassure herself. “Thank you again, you are a dear. We’ll see you in a few minutes. Goodbye.”

 Swiftly, she untied her apron and set it on the counter. She placed a tea-towel over the dough she’d been kneading and wiped the majority of flour from her clothes. She eyed the stairs worriedly but made for the dining room where Christina had situated herself at the table with her sketches and her stuffed companions.

“Hello, love.” She leant down to kiss the top of her daughter’s head as she always did when the opportunity presented itself. She heard the shower start running upstairs and glanced briefly at the ceiling.

“Did Mama come home? I heard the door.” The eight year old puzzled aloud.

“Yes, she’s home,” she hesitated, knowing that she needed to make sure that her daughter remained downstairs while Myka was in her current state, yet she didn’t want to alarm the girl unnecessarily. “I think Myka may be feeling unwell. Darling, do you mind going to the bed and breakfast with Leena for a couple of hours while I take care of Mama? I have a feeling that whatever’s wrong has something to do with the Warehouse.”

Christina frowned but nodded her understanding. Her mothers had spoken to her many times over the past few weeks, since their fateful day at the fair, going through the ups and downs of their job and how there would be times when they would need to ask for her obedience perhaps without being able to explain why. “Ok. I have lots to keep me busy. I can take it with me.”

Helena hated the necessity, but knew that there weren’t any better options. “Thank you love. Right then, let’s pack a few of these things away so you and Leena can carry them.”

There was barely half a kilometre between their new home and their fellow agents’ accommodation, so it was no surprise to the inventor that it only took ten minutes before Leena was standing on their doorstep, waiting to collect Christina. HG reassured the owner of the B&B that she wouldn’t leave it too long before seeking help if her ‘home remedy’ didn’t appear to be working. She hugged her daughter tightly, promising to see her for dinner and reminding her to be helpful and courteous while she was away, while reassuring her that there was no need to worry.

The second the door closed behind her, Helena sprinted up the stairs and entered the bedroom she shared with her girlfriend. The door to the en-suite was ajar so, cautiously, she pushed inside and looked around for Myka. She soon found her partner, sitting in the bottom of the shower, still fully clothed. She noticed the slight shiver to the woman’s limbs and reached out to find icy water raining down from the showerhead. Quickly turning it off, Helena crouched down next to the drenched figure and attempted to coax her out.

Myka leant into Helena’s touch and a pained whimper escaped her throat. She barely had any sense of where she was any more; the desire to relieve the ache that suffused her body had her teetering on the edge of madness. The chill of her cold shower had kept it at bay, but now she could feel the fire beginning to burn again and through all that, the only thought she could process was, _don’t hurt Helena_.

“Myka,” HG began to wrap her arms around her girlfriend in an effort to get her to stand. “We need to get you out of these wet clothes. Can you tell me what happened, darling? Did something at the Warehouse do this to you?”

The brunette’s desire darkened eyes pinned Helena to the spot. The Victorian’s touch had instantly sent the last tendrils of her control packing and her senses drank her lover in. Nostrils flared when Helena’s raw scent wafted towards her on a bed of Channel and HG’s small gasp had her intimate parts throbbing harder than ever. “I need you...” Her voice growled through a hazy fog of lust. “I’m sorry,” she lamented in a pained tone before she felt her body take over.

Helena offered no resistance as her girlfriend pushed her to the bathroom floor. Myka straddled her waist, hips already in motion as they searched for friction. Even knowing that her partner’s sudden passion probably stemmed from exposure to an artefact, HG was easily aroused by the vision in front of her.

Myka was wild; her drenched hair clinging to her equally wet clothes, both dripping cool droplets that should have boiled through the heat that rose between them. Hands were demanding, making quick work of Helena’s shirt, exposing her bra with a tearing of fabric.

The inventor felt her bra being pushed aside and a pair of lips closing around a straining nipple, encasing it in wet heat. She tangled her fingers in damp hair, her head pushing back against cool tile, mouth open in a silent plea as her thighs twitched at the deliciously maddening sensation. She felt Myka’s body shift, legs repositioned to nudge her own apart and slim hips settled low over her centre. A groan escaped her open mouth, mingling with her quickening breaths. She felt lips tightening around her sensitive areole and pictured the self-satisfied grin that shaped the American’s mouth. A well timed stroke of rough tongue had her bucking up towards any sort of contact and was rewarded with the beginning of a slow rocking between their joined bodies.

Fevered lips stole the breath from her lungs while her nipples hardened impossibly in the sudden cool air that surrounded them. Helena wrapped all four limbs around her lover, holding on for dear life while being swept away with Myka’s unbreakable passion, every fall of their hips sending a jolt of desire through her. She felt fingers tightening in her hair and forced her eyes to open a fraction, the sight of her partner’s lidded pleasure urging her closer to completion.

She was lost to a fog of desire when she became aware of a rough, impatient hand tugging at the buttons of her jeans and heard the pop, pop of metal being loosened from their holds. A guttural moan tore from her throat as deft fingers parted delicate folds and slipped smoothly inside.

The sound of her inelegant grunts echoed off the bathroom tiles, inciting the brunette to drive into her harder and faster. Myka’s name fell from her mouth between muttered expletives and at the crest of her release, loving lips closed once more around her own and pulled the very essence from her.

She tumbled over the waves of her orgasm, gasping for breath between her lover’s frenzied ‘feeding’. Finally, exhausted and spent, HG collapsed. Myka’s body followed, muscles weak in the aftermath of her possession.


	9. Chapter 9

Helena heard her lover’s breathing even out and sighed in relief. Despite the thrill of Myka’s forceful lovemaking, she was glad that whatever had taken control of her girlfriend had dissipated. It would be mortifying enough for the ever-in-control agent to realise that she had been an unstoppable force of desire, let alone for her to face her other colleagues in that state.

She played absentmindedly with locks of curly hair while her mind ticked over the possible cause and fallout from the unusual events. There were artefacts that preyed on emotions and those specifically related to sex, but she couldn’t figure out how or why Myka would have accidentally come into contact with one of them. Such objects were housed in the dark vault if they were powerful enough and Myka was a consummate professional when handling the inventory, so what had happened to put her in such a state?

Long minutes passed with only their breathing filling the silence. Helena could still feel Myka inside her but didn’t want to make any sudden moves to dislodge her. The sensation was awkward so long after the act, but HG sort of liked the idea of being intimately attached and was content to wait.

It wasn’t too much longer before sleep laden limbs began moving again and confused green eyes gazed up at the inventor. Myka’s frown deepened as she realised their position and, perhaps not as carefully as Helena would have liked, the American retrieved her wayward digits from their warm bed. “What? Helena?”

Confusion slowly turned to horror as Myka took in the scene; Helena’s torn shirt, her bra pushed uncomfortably aside, and the unmistakable marks of lips having taken rough liberties with pale, delicate skin.

“Oh God,” the brunette exclaimed in a broken voice, scrambling away from what she mistakenly assumed was the result of her worst sin.

Helena sat up cautiously. She removed the remains of her shirt and followed it with her bra. She didn’t want to cover up; the mere act would likely reinforce her girlfriend’s fears. The distraught woman had retreated to the wall and wrapped her arms around her knees.

“Myka,” HG tried softly, deliberately keeping her movements slow as she crouched next to her lover and stoked her hair. “Love, it’s ok. You did nothing wrong.” She watched the tears well up behind green eyes and used her thumbs to wipe them away as they fell. “You’ve never done anything that I didn’t want you to do.” Leaning forward, HG placed a series of light kisses over her girlfriend’s face, soothing away the tremors that lingered. Eventually, the pounding of Myka’s heart subsided and the distress behind her eyes made way for a small smile of relief.

The Victorian gathered Myka’s hands in her own and carefully but firmly pulled the agent to her feet. With a sly grin she reached for her unbuttoned jeans and pushed them to the floor, kicking them aside and repeating the action with her underwear. Once naked, HG took hold of the younger woman’s collar and tugged her toward the bedroom door.

Myka’s gaze drank in the sight before her. Broken memories were beginning to come back to her; the artefact; HG looking deliciously domestic in the kitchen; legs wrapped tightly around her waist. She’d been whammied and the older woman had allowed her free reign to get the implanted lust out of her system. She felt dirty for using Helena but self-satisfied at the same time; the inventor had a look in her eye that said she’d just had mind blowing sex and was eager for more. “Helena, I...”

“Hush, love. You were a little unfocused following the prelude, I think I need to show you what you missed... And since you’re already all wet...” HG had no intention of letting her lover dwell on the negative aspects of the afternoon. They had at least another hour to themselves and she had an inkling that Myka needed the emotional intimacy that usually permeated their lovemaking.

Once Myka was reassured that Christina was ok with Leena and that they had some time to themselves before her return, it didn’t take much for Helena to convince her girlfriend to disrobe and fall into bed with her.

HG made love to Myka slowly and thoroughly, reinforcing the notion that the agent’s brief possession had not damaged their relationship. After enjoying the last few tremors of her lover’s release, Helena left a parting kiss on a silky thigh and crawled up the bed to hover over the spent woman.

She let Myka pull her into a long, tender kiss and sighed her own contentment as they parted. “I could get used to you coming home early,” she said wantonly as the fingers of her right hand continued to explore the naked expanse of skin beneath her.

Myka captured the wandering digits and kissed hands that smelt strongly of their coupling. She grinned around an errant finger that began to explore her lips; it still amazed her that she found her scent on the inventor’s skin such a turn-on. Rather than the embarrassment she used to feel, the times that she had tasted herself on Helena’s lips and hands were instantly paramount in her mind.

“I might have to schedule a lunch time visit if our afternoons are to end like this,” Myka agreed. “Though I could do without the drama of artefact abduction and memory loss. We can skip that.”

“Hmm, I don’t know; I rather enjoyed you completely wild. Of course, I don’t want you regularly exposed to artefacts,” she hastened to add lest her lover think she was suggesting that. “Though, I do believe that there is perhaps room for a little role play in the bedroom, if you’re open to the idea.” HG knew that she had to tread carefully around this topic, but the brief flash of interest behind green eyes gave her hope. “You would look dashing in a uniform,” she added, hoping to impart further inspiration.

A grin slowly settled over the brunette’s features. “I’ll keep that in mind. Right now though, how about I pick up our girl while you finish making whatever you were wearing when I got home.”

HG tutted and found a pillow to hit Myka with, grinning at the bark of laughter that followed. “It’s been over a hundred years since I last made bread from scratch and I loathe recipes. I improvised with a few things and the flour protested... vociferously.”

“Is that so?” The American rose up to join the woman kneeling in the centre of their bed and ran the tips of her fingers down an exposed arm, watching the goose bumps that gathered in their wake. “Well, so long as we’re talking about role play, I must say that domesticity is a very sexy look for you.” A sudden memory of her girlfriend standing in the kitchen of another house, with another family entered her mind. “At least, it is when I know it’s my bed you’ll be sharing.”

Helena couldn’t have missed the sudden chill that entered Myka’s tone even if she’d wanted to. Lamenting the loss of playfulness, she planted a firm, possessive kiss on the brunette and waited until she had eye contact to comment. “For the rest of our days, Myka, ‘your bed’ and ‘my bed’ don’t exist for us. ‘Our bed’ is the only one I ever want to sleep in again.”

They shared a brief moment of quiet reflection and Myka apologised for her dark thoughts and for ruining the mood, to which the Victorian protested the need. They dressed in comfortable lounging pants and shirts before making their way downstairs, hand in hand. HG kissed Myka at the door and asked her not to take too long at the B&B as she would have dinner on the table soon.

Myka strolled towards her previous residence with a lightness to her step that had not been there on her way home. The afternoon at the Warehouse had put her on edge and the mishap with Inana had only made her anxious state worse. Two hours in Helena’s arms and at Helena’s mercy, had chilled her out almost completely. There were still several pressing issues on her mind, but with memories of her lover’s sighs and encouragements still whispering in her ear, she couldn’t summon the energy to really care right now.

Leena’s was quieter than usual when Myka’s entered, though she could distinctly hear her adopted daughter’s voice floating out from the kitchen. As she rounded the doorway, she couldn’t help but smile at the familiar scene that greeted her.

Christina stood on a stool by the counter, up to her elbows in a bowl of what the agent could only assume was cookie dough, and there were splodges of flour all over her clothes, face and hair.

“Like mother, like daughter, I see.” Her voice caught the girl’s attention and bright eyes darted to meet her own.

“Mama, you’re alright!” Christina jumped down from the stool and practically skipped the length of the room, stopping just short of her target when she remembered the mess she’d made. “I’m covered in dough,” she deflated at the realisation.

Myka chuckled warmly. “Well I’m not,” she declared as she knelt down to the child’s height and pulled her into a loving embrace. After a minute, she leant back and gathered the girl’s face between her two palms. “I’m sorry if I worried you, Sweetheart. Have you been ok here?”

The girl brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, smudging more dough onto her face. “Leena’s helping me to bake biscuits to help make you feel better. Would you like to assist us? I’m the sous-chef, so I’m afraid you’ll have to be the dish washer.”

Both adults laughed and Christina grinned cheekily. “Actually Sweetheart; Mummy will have dinner on the table very soon, so we’ll have to come back tomorrow to see how these cookies have turned out.” She saw a frown appearing and quickly added, “I’m sure Leena will find somewhere to hide them from Pete.”

The gentle B&B owner smiled and nodded. “I’ll make sure they’re still here in the morning. Now, why don’t you go clean up in the bathroom and I’ll start putting these on a tray so you can pop them in the oven before you leave?” The prospect of performing the most important task sent the girl whizzing from the room like lightning. Leena began to scoop out balls of dough and placed them onto a pre-greased tray, while observing Myka from the corner of her eye. “So, you’re not feeling any residual effect from today’s events?”

Myka nodded, having expected the inquiry. “I’m good. Relieved.”

“In more ways than one?” Leena added knowingly.

The agent blushed but couldn’t help the satisfied grin that accompanied it. “Helena took care of me.” She chuckled at the raised eyebrow that was directed her way. “That’s the last time I’m neutralising an artefact in the Warehouse with Pete though. Have you heard from him at all?” She asked after a beat. After leaving him behind with Claudia and Artie, she hadn’t given much thought to how he’d fared.

“After HG called me to pick up Christina, I contacted Artie. Pete left the Warehouse shortly after you. He said he was going to Lila’s.” Leena placed her now empty bowl by the sink and began to wipe over the counter. “I’m sure she’s ‘taking care’ of him.”

Myka nodded in agreement but couldn’t help feeling worried. “I hope they’re ok. When Helena came upstairs, I was completely out of control. I’m not sure what would have happened if she hadn’t wanted to... be intimate right then.” She reached for her phone, beginning to wish that she had done so earlier. “I’m going to give him a call. I’ll just be in here.” She hit the speed dial for Pete’s phone and closed the lounge doors behind her. Pete’s voice came through the speaker and she immediately recognised it as his voice mail. Hanging up, she quickly redialled, feeling her nerves begin to tingle again with panic.

_“Hello?”_

Myka recognised Lila’s voice and breathed a little easier. “Lila, thank God. Are you ok?”

_“Agent Bering? Myka... sorry. I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”_

Sighing with renewed relief, the agent barked a short laugh. “And Pete? Is he ok? ‘Cause we had a bit of an incident at work and we were both a little out of sorts.” There was a pause on the other end and she had to hold her breath to stop her from butting in.

_“Well, if by ‘out of sorts’ you mean majorly horny, then yes, he has calmed down somewhat. To tell you the truth, I didn’t really notice the difference until he woke from a nap and didn’t seem to remember arriving at my place. He’s taking a shower, but I can get him to call you if you like?”_

“No it’s ok. Just let him know that Helena and I are fine and I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” She heard Lila’s assurance that she’d pass on the message and hung up.

Days like this didn’t used to bother her so much, but since making her relationship with Helena official and becoming a family with her and Christina, all of the little upsets at the Warehouse continued to play on her mind. Most days, she felt like it was luck rather than skill that kept them safe and eventually she knew that her luck would run out. That dark thought lingered constantly at the back of her mind so that, even on her days off, the weight of it pulled her down.

Many things played on her mind these days. Most of them were generally pleasant. The ‘what-ifs’ about the future with her family. Where would they go on their first family vacation? What should she get them for Christmas? Where could she take Helena for Valentine’s? Would she ever strike up the courage to pop the question?

But then there were those issues that perhaps wouldn’t have such positive outcomes. The most pressing of which, was breaking the news of her happy situation to her parents.

Her sister, Tracy, was the only one who knew that she was in a long-term relationship with somebody and that she was helping to raise said person’s daughter. Through the entire conversation with her only sibling, she had played the pronoun game; ‘she, her and Helena’ had hovered on the tip of her tongue, ready at a moment’s notice to replace ‘they, we and HG’. She’d chickened out though, and now she was faced with the prospect of coming out to her family all at once. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, her time was running out.

There was also the fact that she hadn’t confessed her gross cowardice to her girlfriend yet, so HG was under the assumption that Myka’s sister knew and accepted their relationship. It was a dilemma that had the potential to blow up in her face.

Hours later, Myka continued to ponder as she let Helena’s voice and the words of E.B White wash over her. She could feel her lover’s eyes on her between the turning pages of Charlotte’s Web and knew that HG would want to know what was on her mind.

Little did she know that this particular time bomb had a very short fuse.

* * * * *

Artie rang bright and early the following morning, demanding to have all his agents in the Warehouse immediately. Helena mumbled several threats into her pillow as she heard Myka rise from their cosy refuge and head for the shower. She dozed sporadically until her lover’s voice whispered a reluctant farewell in her ear and she smiled under a soft kiss.

HG opened her eyes just enough to make out her girlfriend’s outline and reached out to drag her back towards the bed before she could leave. “Mmm... You mustn’t leave. I forbid it,” she mumbled into freshly washed and soft curly hair.

Myka indulged herself in the warmth that she desperately wanted more of and then sighed her disappointment at having to leave. “I’m sorry; I have to disobey.” She grinned mischievously and moved her mouth back to her girlfriend’s ear. “You will have to punish me later.” She extracted herself from the bed and made to leave, pausing in the doorway to look back once more. HG was now wide awake, with a gleam in her eye that promised intoxicating pleasures if Myka gave up the notion of going to work and returned to bed instead.

Helena knew that her girlfriend was far too ‘by-the-book’ to chose sex over her career when she’d been given specific instructions by a superior. That was just who Myka was, and HG loved the whole package that was Agent Bering. That didn’t stop her wanting to tease the rule-loving agent though. “Don’t mind me then, darling. I’ll just be here, imagining all the ways I can make you beg for my forgiveness.” As she enunciated every word and made sure to exaggerate her already near perfect diction, she allowed a hand to travel over a silk covered breast and disappear under the covers.

She watched Myka struggle for a moment, biting her lip and clenching the door tight, knuckles paling under the effort to remain in place. HG’s grin slipped, her mouth opening and eyelids drifting closed as her hand moved under the covers. She heard Myka curse under breath and chuckled to herself as the agent fled.

Myka paused outside Christina’s room, calming her breathing and forcing Helena’s wanton image into a box in the back of her mind. When she was sure that she had her composure back, she pushed open the door and peeked inside. A warm smile instantly lit up her features and she felt her breath catch at the utterly adorable scene in front of her.

On the bed, beneath a tent of blankets, came whispered voices. Myka listened for a moment, stifling a chuckle as Christina conversed with her toys, the tone of her voice alternating between different characters.

The agent wanted to remain, to bask in the simple pleasure of hearing a child play, but she could still hear Artie’s agitated voice in the back of her mind and knew that she had to get moving.

Reluctantly, she stepped into the room and knelt down by the bed to lift up the edge of the covers. Christina’s recitation faltered and two dark, curious eyes stared back at her. She exaggerated a frown and eyed the toys suspiciously.

“I thought there were more people under here. It sounded like you were talking to a whole crowd,” she exclaimed in mock surprise and smiled as Christina giggled.

“Hello, Mama. We’re planning an expedition,” the girl declared excitedly. “Would you like to join us?”

Myka’s expression fell as she felt the now familiar disappointment of leaving the eight-year-old to go to the Warehouse. “That sounds amazing Sweetheart, but I actually came in to get a hug and a kiss before I go to work.”

Christina’s face fell too, though she valiantly tried to hide it, causing Myka’s stomach to clench tighter. “That’s ok, Mama. You can join us later. I’ll leave a map for you so you can follow our trail through the Arctic.”

“The Arctic!?” Myka laughed and wrapped her arms around the small body. “Now I really wish I could join you. I’ll make us a picnic. I bet you and Mummy will be hungry after an adventure across the tundra. I’ll pick up your cookies from Leena too before I come home.”

The young Victorian wrapped her arms around Myka’s neck and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. You can leave one for Pete if you like,” she declared, still holding on tight.

Almost hearing the cogs turning in the girl’s mind, Myka waited patiently for further input. When nothing was forthcoming, she pulled back and looked into a worried gaze. “Chrissi, what’s wrong?”

Dark eyes avoided the agent for a moment and then looked up cautiously. “It’s dangerous at the Warehouse. What if it makes you ill again?”

Myka took a moment to consider her answer, knowing that she neither wanted to lie nor worry the girl any further. “Sweetheart, there are some jobs that adults do because they want to help people, even though their job might be dangerous. Like being a police officer or fire fighter.” She waited for the eight-year-old to nod before continuing. “My job helps people and sometimes that means doing dangerous things, but that’s why I have Pete, Steve and Claudia. And don’t forget your mother. We work as a team, so when there are dangers, we can help each other out.” She placed a kiss on the girl’s head and squeezed her slightly. “I promise you, I am very good at my job and I take every precaution so I can come home safely to you and Mummy. Ok?”

Christina nodded into Myka’s side and seemed to relax slightly. “Ok.”

The agent’s fingers found ticklish ribs and attacked mercilessly until the young girl was squealing with laughter, effectively chasing away the dark clouds of worry that hovered ominously behind her gaze. After spending an extra few minutes just enjoying their closeness, Myka placed a parting kiss on her head and waved her goodbye.

* * * * *

Approaching the Warehouse, Myka took note of everyone else’s cars already parked and knew that Artie would be starting to fume. She pulled up next to Pete’s over-sized vehicle and turned off the engine before she became aware of her partner still sitting in his driver’s seat. With a sigh, she got out to greet him.

Pete’s expression was full of contrition as he pulled a startled Myka into a crushing hug. “Pete,” she choked. “Pete!” He pulled back quickly, allowing her to breathe normally again.

“Mykes, Lila told me you called yesterday. Are you sure you’re ok, and HG’s ok?” He looked panicked and shadows under his eyes told her that he hadn’t slept well.

She took pity on him, knowing how scary it had been waking up to find her girlfriend in a rough state of undress. “We’re good, Pete. How’s erm... how’s Little Pete?”

Agent Lattimer cracked an awkward smile. “I never thought I’d be grateful for having a woman knee me in the groin. Thanks.” His genuine relief gave way to a smug grin as he continued. “Lila can tell you though; it didn’t slow me down much.” They left their vehicles behind and entered passed the heavy outer door. As they strolled along the umbilical, Pete sobered. “That was scary,” he admitted softly. “Thinking that I’d... that she might not have wanted... and you with HG...” He couldn’t even complete the thought. “I goof off sometimes, I know that. I never expected anything like this though. I just... I’m sorry Mykes.”

Myka sighed as they reached the security door and turned to her partner. “Pete, you’re my best friend and I love you, but please, can you start leaving the horse-play to afterhours? I’m having a hard time balancing family and work as it is, I don’t want any more repeats like yesterday.” She leant into the retinal scanner and opened the door.

Pete trailed behind her, thinking about the unsaid sentiment behind her words. “Hey Myka, you’d talk to me if you were having problems, right? You’re not just going to leave again, are you?”

Myka opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by their boss’ irate tone.

“Ignoring the fact that you’re BOTH,” he glared at Myka, “An hour later than I asked. What the hell did you two do yesterday?”

“Well... you see...”

“Just what you asked us to Artie...”

“We attempted to anyway...”

“That statue has it in for me...”

“He tripped...”

“I totally didn’t touch anything...”

The two agents babbled in coordination until they both blurted out; “We were whammied!”

The director glowered, his eyebrows pulled together menacingly as he struggled for the words to explain his ire. With a few grunts and other inarticulate sounds, he finally marched towards the office door, gesturing wildly for them to follow.

Artie walked them through the chaos that he claimed they’d left in their wake the day before. Myka vaguely remembered taking the same route in reverse but none of the artefacts that were now playing up had done anything close to unusual while they’d still been in the vicinity.

“Clearly, whatever the two of you disturbed yesterday, you took a very powerful aura with you and disturbed the delicate balance of harmony in this sector.” He mumbled something to himself and turned in a small circle, obviously struggling with his own inner balance. “When you’ve sorted this lot out, I want the two of you back in that office, writing a report on EXACTLY what happened before AND after you left.”

Myka began to protest but stopped immediately when Artie’s stare found her again. She watched him ride off on his segway and bit her lip to stop from sticking her tongue out at him. “Great.” She ignored Pete’s sheepish look and glanced around at the shelves to their left and right. “We should stick fairly close together, but I think we’d better take an artefact each so we don’t end up making matters worse.”

He shrugged, obviously still feeling guilty and took off around the corner of the left stack. Being Pete though, he couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself for long. “So, you’re not really going to leave, are you?”

Myka rolled her eyes at her partner’s inability to focus on the task at hand. She considered the question at length. “I don’t know.” She could feel his disappointment and immediately remembered the first few months of her return following HG’s betrayal. She’d promised Pete over and over that she wouldn’t just up and leave again. “I don’t mean that I’m thinking of just packing up one day and disappearing; I won’t leave you like that again, Pete. But there are days when I just want to be at home with my family. Not flying half way around the world, putting my life in danger for the Warehouse.”

“Come on Mykes. Do you really think you could give this up?” His voice became strained as he wrestled with a Stretch Armstrong that was trying to wrap its arms around his neck.

She nodded to herself, knowing that it wasn’t an simple decision. “For them, Pete? Yes I could.” Myka carefully rearranged the information screen for a candle that when lit, slowly put people into a deep sleep, and gave it a quick spray with her neutraliser to be safe. “I’m not saying it would be easy to give up field work, or that I wouldn’t eventually start to go stir crazy, but I think it’d be worth a go. Besides, Helena’s happy with her research, what makes you think I couldn’t be? At the very least, I’ve been thinking of asking to cut down my time in the field and take more assignments close to home. Leave the exotic locations to you, Steve and Claudia.”

They fell quiet for some time after that, both lost in their thoughts of the Warehouse and the potential for a normal life on the outside.

The green-eyed brunette played with career ideas. What would she do for work if the Warehouse was no longer an option? She hadn’t been kidding when she’d told Pete that she would probably go stir crazy. Other than when she was reading and her mind was occupied, she was not the sort of person who could sit still at home.

She’d noticed the same thing about Helena. Most days that she returned from work, HG had rearranged some of the furniture, had a new contraption half built in the back yard or had spent hours experimenting in the kitchen as if it were her own laboratory. The Victorian was adamant that she enjoyed being at home with Christina, but that didn’t mean that she found it easy to spend all day, every day alone with an eight-year-old without other elements to stimulate her highly intelligent mind. Myka couldn’t help wondering what trouble she’d get up to once Christina was in school full time.

Three hours into their arrival, the agents returned to the office to write their report. Pete dictated as Myka typed, though as he was completely incapable of sticking to the relevant facts, she soon tuned him out and recorded the unfortunate incident with Inana in her own words. She doubted that Artie needed to know about her partner’s hose jokes.

She let Artie chew her out for being secretive and let Pete exaggerate their lack of focus as he attempted to get them off the hook. The director swallowed his protests as the reasons for their distraction became clear and in a roundabout way of continuing to tell them off, he apologised and retreated to his desk, ostensibly to monitor the artefacts.

It was past lunchtime when Myka had the urge to hear Helena’s voice and realised that she’d left her phone at home. It was another five minutes before she remembered that Tracy was supposed to call her to sort out arrangements for Thanksgiving. Her head fell into her hands. She pictured the cell sitting on the work surface in the kitchen and wondered how many times Helena would let it ring out before curiosity got the best of her.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Tears that she’d tried to keep at bay inside the house, fell with abandon the moment the door closed softly behind Myka. She walked with no particular destination in mind, one foot in front of the other as her chest tightened with shame and guilt.

Why had she not told Helena the truth? Of course she would understand her dilemma, and even if she hadn’t she would have done her best to support her regardless.

The conversation she’d had with her sister played on her mind more than she wanted to admit. She had always felt under pressure from her younger sister to be ‘normal’. It was ridiculous that she still felt that way in her early thirties, but old habits were hard to break. The moment Tracy’s sceptical tone reached her through the receiver, she’d panicked and suddenly the last thing she had wanted to do was expose Helena to the world of hurt and rejection she herself had felt as a child. Her intention had been to protect her girlfriend from her demons, but in hindsight she realised that the older woman was right; all she’d done was deny them a chance to grow closer as a couple.

Bottling up her feelings was a serial offence of Myka’s. She was naturally a very private person and even Pete didn’t get to hear most of her woes. That needed to change. When she considered the situation in reverse, she knew she would feel lonely and useless if Helena chose to suffer in silence.

Thinking back over the last hour, Myka’s eidetic memory replayed every word tossed between her and Helena, feeling the sting of each verbal parry hit her afresh.

< 

_Early in the afternoon, Helena had found her girlfriend’s phone sitting forlornly on the kitchen counter, the sound of Holtz’s Mars demanding her attention. Reading the caller ID, she had hesitated just long enough for Tracy Bering to give up, but an hour later the ominous tune was back and HG shrugged to herself, thinking that introductions may as well be made sooner than later._

_Less than a minute into the call, Helena realised that the woman on the other end of the phone had no idea who she was or what connection, if any, the Brit had to her sister. She explained away her reason for answering the agent’s phone, making it seem like she was merely the nanny, and hung up with a slight feeling of vertigo and the taste of bile in the back of her throat._

_Hours later, Myka returned home; her cautious expression telling Helena all she needed to know about her girlfriend’s culpability. She paced the living room floor, throwing conflicted glances at the agent sitting on the couch with her head held in her hands._

_“I don’t like this feeling, Myka. I didn’t think I would ever have to question my trust in you.”_

_From the couch, Myka lifted her head and felt her anger at the situation begin to boil over. “I’m well aware of what that’s like!”_

_HG stopped and stared at her partner, feeling the statement like a bullet. “So you’re telling me that I deserve to be lied to? Why not? I lied to you, didn’t I? An eye for an eye. Is that what this is?”_

_The younger woman heard the hurt in her lover’s tone and instantly regretted her outburst. “No, Helena. I’m sorry. I didn’t really lie to you...”_

_“A lie of omission is no better and you know that.” Helena wasn’t about to listen to excuses or qualifications for why Myka hadn’t been honest with her. The very fact that her girlfriend felt the need to keep things from her tore at her insides. “I hate that you still don’t trust me. I know that’s my fault, but this hurts Myka. I should have been able to support you, but you didn’t give me that chance.”_

_“I just... I wasn’t sure you’d understand. I felt like I should just be able to do it alone...” She trailed off, knowing that the words escaping her mouth held no real weight._

_“You didn’t think I would comprehend people’s prejudices towards alternate lifestyles? That’s bloody ridiculous.” The inventor wanted to scream, to yell some sense into her normally intelligent partner, but she was aware that Christina was only a short distance away and the last thing she wanted was to start a shouting match. “Need I remind you of the social attitudes towards women during the late nineteenth century?”_

_“I wasn’t thinking.”_

_“Truly?” Helena’s comment came thinly veiled in sarcasm, though she quickly swallowed the urge to follow up with further insult. She sighed instead. “I’m not even sure I have a right to be angry with you.”_

_Myka had never wanted to hold her girlfriend’s past actions over her head and knew that their relationship would only work if they were on equal terms. “Of course you do, Helena. I’ll talk to my sister. Tell her the truth.”_

_“That’s not the issue though, is it Myka?” The Victorian paced another length of the room before sinking into a chair and lowering her head into her own hands. When she eventually caught the American’s eye again, there was a weary despondency in the inventor’s gaze. “What impression will your sister have of our relationship if she thinks we’re not honest with each other?” She pondered aloud. “How valid will our love seem if we don’t present ourselves as partners who are willing and able to support each other? I don’t much care what people think of me, but I do care what they think of you and Christina, particularly your family, which means we have to present a united front.”_

_Myka let the words sink into her psyche; absorbing the wisdom and knowing with each statement that her actions had damaged something precious. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat but couldn’t. She gazed alternately at the floor and ceiling, knowing that the second she made eye contact with HG, she would start to cry._

_Helena continued, her voice becoming softer the longer she spoke. “I felt out of my depth today. Perhaps I shouldn’t have answered your phone. I thought I would be able to provide a good impression to help smooth things along. I didn’t expect to be denying my feelings for you or pretending that my world doesn’t revolve around you and Christina.”_

_Myka shook her head. “I didn’t mean to put you in that position.”_

_“But you did,” the inventor all but whispered._

_There was a long silence between them where the tick of the hall clock became unbearably loud. Eventually, HG stood and, running her fingers through her hair, moved to the open door._

_“I’m going to take a shower,” she announced dejectedly. “You’re dinner’s in the oven if you want it.”_

_>  _

The ex-Secret Service agent had waited for the sound of running water before finding her feet and stepping out of the front door. She hadn’t intended to go far, having simply needed the fresh air, but her legs had moved of their own volition and she was powerless to stop them.

Unconscious of the time, Myka wandered until her feet hurt and her tears had dried up. A full moon cast a romantic glow across her path, mocking in complete juxtaposition to how she felt.

It was much later than she realised by the time she’d come full circle and stood in the porch removing her shoes. The weather had turned colder and the cloudless sky had only helped to make the underdressed agent shiver beneath her shirt.

As it was passed ten o’clock, she assumed that Christina at least must already be in asleep, and decided to use the downstairs bathroom to ready herself for bed. She took her time, considering how likely it was that she would end up sleeping on the couch. She was close to making the decision herself, feeling as if she deserved some form of purgatory before being allowed to bask in her lover’s embrace again, but when she considered for a moment how she would feel in Helena’s place, she knew that it wouldn’t be a solitary punishment.

Creeping up the stairs in the dark, Myka couldn’t resist looking in on Christina. Only, when she carefully cracked open the door, she found the young girl’s room empty. The soft swish of wood against carpet, from across the landing, caught her attention and Myka turned to come face to face with her very irate and distressed girlfriend.

“Helena...” she began, and then stopped as a hand rose to silence her.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” HG demanded to know through clenched teeth and angry tears.

The tension in her voice and redness around her eyes caused Myka’s stomach to drop with sudden horrified realisation. Forgetting words and explanations, the lanky agent moved swiftly forward and wrapped her arms securely around the shorter figure. The inventor’s arms clung to her as if they would never let go. She let her own guilt-ridden tears gather and fall as she cradled her lover through silent sobs of fear and relief.

“I’m sorry, Helena. I know it’s no consolation now but I just lost track of the time, and I left my stupid cell phone in the kitchen... again.” Myka felt desperate fingers cling tighter to the back of her shirt and turned her head slightly to bury her nose in the shorter woman’s hair. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered again into ebony locks. “I don’t know what’s going on with me at the moment, but I know we need to talk and try to figure this out. I hate hurting you like this.”

HG held onto her girlfriend until the tears and anger subsided and she was left with a sense of relief and a seed of confidence that all would be well eventually. Muscles relaxed as her surge of adrenaline wore off. She felt her lover’s lips in her hair and pulled back just far enough to tilt her head towards that loving caress. Myka’s mouth captured her own in a grateful embrace, the American pouring every last drop of love into the kiss, while fingers wove their way into her hair. Knees buckling under the assault, Helena tightened her grip on Myka’s shirt and teased her girlfriend’s top lip with her tongue.

A strangled moan found its way up from Myka’s throat. “Helena,” she gasped. “Is Christina in our bed?”

“Mmhm.” HG’s hands found Myka’s and she began pulling her lover towards the stairs. “Neither of us wanted to sleep alone.”

The tall brunette felt another pang of guilt but shook it off. Now was not a time to be feeling sorry for herself. “Where are we going?”

“To take a shower,” the inventor declared before leading them downstairs to the guest bathroom.

In seconds, Helena had locked the door behind them and wasted no time in pushing Myka against the countertop while tugging at her various fastenings. Her wild gaze drank in each newly exposed plane of skin and revelled in the aroused deer-in-the-headlights look that stared back at her.

The curly-haired agent moved to reciprocate but found her hands being slapped away. Within a few short minutes, Myka was naked, her left leg held against Helena’s hip, and her breath hitching as deft fingers teased through her pubic hair and slid effortlessly along slick folds. Hungry lips and teeth feasted on the long length of her neck, sucking and biting possessively.

Whimpers punctuated each thrust as hips moved in rhythm to plunging digits and Myka found her climax taking hold of her in record time. She was putty in Helena’s hands and she welcomed the freeing sensation of being dominated by this incredible woman. This woman she loved and trusted with every fibre of her being. Ignoring the cold, hard surface pressing into her back, she pulled her girlfriend’s mouth up to meet her own, stifling the sound of her drawn out cry as the tension in her body crested and crashed down around her.

Holding onto the edge of the countertop, Myka buried her face in her lover’s neck and struggled to breathe evenly. “Bathrooms seem to be our theme recently,” she commented after a quiet moment. Feeling HG chuckle, she smiled to herself, eventually pulling back to look the other woman up and down. “You’re overdressed,” she said simply.

Helena cocked her hip out and shot Myka a smug look; her girlfriend’s dishevelled appearance drawing out her natural arrogance. “What do you propose we do to rectify that?”

Reaching for HG’s hips, Myka walked backwards into the shower stall, guiding the writer with her and pulling her into another lengthy kiss. Her back pressed firmly into cold tile and a sharp gasp left her mouth. With knowing hands, she searched for the dial to turn the water on, soon drenching the pair of them and eliciting another delightful chuckle from her partner.

“There’s no need for that, darling. I’m already wet.” Helena’s voice rose above the spray of water and eyes wandered to appreciate the vision in front of her. “What exactly was your plan?”

“I just thought your outfit would benefit from a soaking.” The inventor’s previously loose fitting t-shirt and shorts were now plastered to her skin, showing off every curve and bump on her lithe body. “I was right.”

Myka found herself losing track of time again, though on this occasion for a much more pleasant reason. The image of Helena with her head thrown back, arms tense with the effort to keep herself standing; the feel of hands gripping her hair and shoulders, and the sounds, smell and taste of her lover’s release, continued to play through her thoughts even as they turned off the water and began to dry off.

Taking turns with the hairdryer, they exchanged shy smiles and frequent reassuring caresses. Sometime past midnight, they climbed the stairs hand-in-hand and crept into their bedroom.

Christina had rolled into the middle of the bed and was doing a wonderful impression of a starfish. HG found herself a dry set of sleep clothes and threw Myka’s favourite oversized t-shirt to her before they both slipped under the covers, careful not to disturb their daughter.

Myka knew that their impromptu make-up session was just the beginning of their efforts to fix this tear in their relationship. They would have to make time in the coming days to really talk about lingering issues, but she knew that the worst was over for now and felt a sense of peace at the realisation that overcoming this bump could only bring them closer.

* * * * *

Christina’s gaze opened the following morning on her favourite sight - her mother’s warm brown eyes watching her lovingly. She grinned automatically and reached out to pull HG into a hug. Her mind returned to worried thoughts of the previous evening but before she could open her mouth to enquire after events, her mother placed a finger over her lips and pointed behind her.

Turning carefully, the girl’s eyes fell on Myka, whose tall figure was stretched out on her front, with one arm resting by her head and the other trapped under her body.

Christina rolled over and shuffled back against her mother’s body, feeling strong arms wrap themselves around her torso. “Mummy,” she whispered. “Mama’s going to stay with us, isn’t she? She won’t ever go back to live at Leena’s will she?”

“Myka will stay with us, Love.” Helena told her daughter with absolute assurance. Even when she’d begun to worry about her girlfriend’s whereabouts the previous evening, she had never considered the possibility that Myka wouldn’t want to come home to them. “This is her home and we are her family.”

“Good,” the young girl murmured a little louder. “I’d be awfully vexed if she went away.”

HG ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair as they continued to watch Myka sleep. “As would I, darling. Adults sometimes have disagreements and need time to work through their feelings. Myka and I love each other very much, so even when we do argue, and it is likely to happen from time to time, we will always try to talk through our problems.”

Christina was now looking up at her mother and missed Myka’s eyes opening. Helena was aware though and continued talking for all their benefit.

“No matter what happens though, my darling, we will never stop loving you. You are the most important thing in our lives.”

Myka couldn’t resist the lure of joining the family snuggle session. She tried to push herself up discretely, failing miserably as her dead arm collapsed beneath her and she face planted into her pillow with a groan.

Helena laughed at the adorable clumsiness and Myka stuck her tongue out. Christina giggled as her curly-haired mother tried again and purposely threw her body over, causing her numb limb to flip uselessly over the Wells duo.

They spent the morning curled up on the sofa, surrounded by blankets, taking it in turns to read through the rest of Charlotte’s Web and move on to Roald Dahl’s Matilda.

Myka called Artie as Helena and Christina began making breakfast, telling him that she was taking a personal day and didn’t want to be contacted unless it was an emergency. He grumbled, like she knew he would, but had been understanding enough not to outright argue with her.

After lunch they dressed and wrapped up in hats and scarves to walk to the park. Christina kicked through piles of leaves while Myka strolled arm in arm with Helena. A few hundred metres into their walk and HG finally decided to bite the bullet and ask after the reason for their disagreement.

“So, love... What did your sister say?”

Squeezing Helena’s hand in comfort, Myka thought back to her conversation with Tracy. After talking to Artie and making sure that the Wells duo were happily ensconced in their task, she had planted a chaste kiss on her lover’s cheek and retreated into the study to return her sister’s call.

< 

_:Hello?:_

_“Trace? It’s Myka.”_

_:Myka? Jesus, it’s like trying to get hold of royalty calling you.:_

_“I’m sorry. I was working late yesterday and I had to deal with some things at home.”_

_:Like your maid answering your phone? What’s up with that?:_

_“Trace, Helena’s not my maid.”_

_:Your nanny then. Or do you call her an au pair? Whatever.:_

_“Trace...”_

_:I’d sort that out quickly, Myka. You can’t leave the woman alone in your home if she thinks it’s ok to answer your phone.:_

_“Trace...”_

_:She’s probably going through your stuff as we speak.:_

_“Trace!”_

_:What?:_

_“She’s my girlfriend.”_

_:... What do you mean...? Are you having an affair with your maid?:_

_“No, Tracy. I mean, I live with her. She’s my girlfriend.”_

_:So HG...? You made him up? Why would you do that?:_

_“She is HG. Helena G Wells.”_

_:Myka, tell me you’re not dating a woman just because you have a crush on a book. That would be so like you.:_

_“Seriously Tracy? When have I ever been with someone I wasn’t in love with? I’m not you.”_

_:Some of us can get a date without needing an entire history of the person we’re with!:_

_“This is stupid, I’ve got better things to do than argue with you. I’m sorry I let you believe HG was my boyfriend. I wasn’t sure how you’d react and I chickened out. I don’t know how mom and dad are going to take my news either so I don’t know if I’m going to see you at Thanksgiving or Christmas.”_

_:Myka, don’t be so dramatic. You don’t really think they’ll disown you, do you?:_

_“Are you saying that you’re ok with this?”_

_:Of course. You’re my sister. You annoy the crap out of me and I never really understand you, but I love you anyway.:_

_“... That’s... Thanks Trace. I love you too... Most of the time.”_

_:Haha. So you must be in the dog-house right about now. How pissed was HG when you got home? I should probably feel bad for being so mean to her, but as it was kinda your fault, I’m going to let you do the grovelling.:_

_“Why do I detect a hint of derision in your tone? Now I feel quite smug for already finding my way out of the dog-house.”_

_:Sis. Either your girlfriend is ridiculously easy going, or you’ve got serious skills in the bedroom.:_

_“Trace!”_

_:It’s always the quiet ones.:_

_“Are we going to talk about Thanksgiving or not?”_

_:Fine. When do you plan on telling the folks?:_

_>  _

Myka was quiet for a spell before a wry smile crept onto her face. “She says you’re far too forgiving and that you should make me spend more time in the dog-house.”

Helena frowned as she continued to watch her daughter. “Dog-house? I assume that is a colloquialism for some form of punishment?” She glanced at Myka with a quirk to the corner of her mouth. “Is putting your significant other in the dog-house something to be strived for in a modern relationship?”

The taller woman laughed nervously. “I suppose for some people it might be. Dog-houses are traditionally kept outside.”

“Ah. So I must continue to disapprove and ‘shut you out’ until a suitable level of contrition on your behalf has been reached?” Enjoying the hint of concern on her girlfriend’s face, Helena chuckled. She took pity on her lover after a minute and hugged her closer. “Darling, I think I know you well enough to conclude that you are already punishing yourself more harshly than I ever could. You are somewhat masochistic in that respect.”

“Helena... This is serious. I’ve never been very good at sharing my concerns with anyone; I don’t want to keep letting you down.”

HG stared at her girlfriend for a long moment. “Love, do you not see the irony in that statement?” She let Myka consider her question before continuing. “I understand that you want to protect me and Christina from the many upsets that might befall us in this modern world, but you have to know that we want the same for you. It is rather counterproductive when you choose to burden yourself and keep us in the dark.”

Myka sighed, frustration beginning to sink in. “I know. Sometimes, I want to talk to you, to tell you things, but you’re so content in that moment that I don’t want to ruin your mood. You’ve had so little happiness since... Since...”

“Since Christina died. You can say it, love. I haven’t forgotten. And while I appreciate the sentiment of your allowing me time to bask in the feeling of having her back, I am capable of being a mother and a partner.” HG looked across at her girlfriend’s drawn features, taking in the struggle the other agent was experiencing. “Happiness is a fine balance, Myka. It’s also subjective. Right at this moment, regardless of the difficulties involved in baring our souls, I am deliriously happy. Sharing your burdens provides me with a sense of achievement that couldn’t come from any other source.” She smiled at the raised eyebrow that came her way. “It’s quite a macabre realisation, is it not? As a part of providing well being in the other, we must each feel some form of disquiet and share accordingly. What strange creatures we are.”

“Getting off track?” Myka queried, feeling a little bit of hero worship as she witnessed HG Wells pontificate on life.

Helena bumped her hip against her fellow agent’s and smirked flirtatiously. “Not at all. I believe I may be having an epiphany.”

“I think your theory only has merit if both parties are able to contribute to resolving the issues arisen from said conversation. Leaving the issue unresolved may only serve to dampen the spirits of those involved.” Myka loved this part of their relationship and as they continued their meeting of minds, she began to realise that they had not had much time for this sort of thing lately. This was yet another reason for her to spend less time at the Warehouse.

HG watched the play of thoughts cross her lover’s gaze and could almost hear her mind whirring madly. “Hmm, you have a point there. It would seem that the only method of testing this hypothesis would be to continue our session of confession. You have the floor, Love.”

“Don’t think I won’t be turning this round on you at some point,” Myka warned the inventor playfully. Today was about her concerns and her secrets, but she would make time to discuss Helena’s issues too.

The Victorian nodded, easily reading Myka’s thoughts. “I will endeavour to come up with adequate problems for you to solve. All in good time, Darling. Now, spill.”

Their stroll eventually brought them upon the children’s play park and Christina asked to go explore around the jungle-gym, as Myka called it. The adults placed themselves on a nearby bench with the best lines of sight to cover all the juvenile equipment and continued to talk.

Myka confessed her fears of being found inadequate by her family, particularly her parents and especially her father. She relayed the incident she and Pete had dealt with regarding Poe’s diary and admitted that, even after reconciling their differences, she was still very much a slave to her early experiences of failing to live up to his expectations.

She explained in broken sentences how she didn’t want her father to taint the sense of pride she felt in herself and their small family, and how she was afraid to expose Helena and Christina to his potential disapproval. She also admitted that, until she spoke to them, she would constantly wonder about her parents’ opinion of her relationship.

Her tendency to keep her thoughts to herself was so chronic that even by the time Christina was long in bed and Helena was curled up beside her in their own safe-haven; Myka still had a pressing matter to get off her chest.

Their discussion while curled up on the sofa, had come to an end as they agreed to talk to Artie and Mrs. Fredrick about the other roles Myka could fulfil for the Warehouse. Helena had tried not to be too excited by the prospect of having Myka at home with her more often.

Lying with the inventor ensconced in her arms, Myka debated whether to leave her last confession til tomorrow or add yet another thing to the long list of topics already discussed. She had sworn Pete to secrecy on the matter, but he was notoriously bad at keeping his thoughts to himself and was likely to blurt it out whether he meant to or not. Then there was the fact that she had promised not to keep secrets about important issues.

“Helena?” She whispered at long last, keeping her voice low in case the petite woman was asleep already.

“Yes, Darling?” Something in Myka’s voice caught the inventor’s attention and she turned over to get a better view of her expression.

“We didn’t really get chance to talk about exactly what happened with me and Pete that day I came home early.” Myka had practised many ways to phrase what she wanted to say and she still wasn’t happy with how it sounded as the words left her mouth. She could tell by Helena’s expression that her careful phrasing wasn’t having the desired effect either.

“As I well recall the events of that day, I’m afraid to ask for clarification... What exactly happened with you and Pete?” She was wide-awake now and propped up on one elbow, looking down on her lover with a hint of trepidation in her eyes.

Myka rolled onto her back and took a slow breath. She decided to retell the events in the most factual way rather than to jump right into how boundaries had been crossed or to vocalise her denials. It hadn’t meant anything to her and that’s how she wanted the facts to come across. “Artie asked us to goo and crate up an artefact for further study as it had been the cause of several disturbances. We had gloves, glasses and the goo-hose. It should have been easy.” She paused and looked to her girlfriend who was following the narration easily. “So of course, Pete being Pete, he tripped himself up with the hose, dragged me with him and collapsed on top of me.” Myka chanced another look at Helena and noticed the unmistakable edge of jealousy behind her gaze. She clearly had ideas for where this story was going. “He managed to knock both of our glasses off so when we heard a noise we both turned and the artefact hit us... We kissed.”

HG waited for the worst to come but her girlfriend appeared to have finished. “And?”

“And I only realised it wasn’t you when he began touching me.” She cringed at the way that sounded. It had probably been just a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime in hindsight. “Then I kneed him in the groin.”

The Victorian’s eyes closed and she sighed with what appeared to be relief. Myka held her breath and then wished she hadn’t as her girlfriend’s mouth covered hers. Helena poured herself into the kiss, breaking off occasionally to give them both a chance to breathe and then capturing Myka’s mouth again in another assault. When she finally released her lover, her smug smile was back.

Catching her breath, the brunette stared up at her girlfriend in surprise. “So, I guess you’re not too upset then?”

“Well... I kissed Pete once, so I’m fairly confident that there’s no competition between us.” Her cocky grin was back and she traced Myka’s kiss-swollen lips for good measure.

Myka narrowed her eyes at the memory of Pete’s bragging. “That was before our first time. It’s not like I had any claim on you.”

“Oh, Darling,” Helena chuckled at her own memories from the first time she’d ever laid eyes on Agent Bering. “You had me from the moment I saw you ordering Agent Lattimer around, taking complete control of the situation. I rather thought I’d have liked to have you alone, but alas, Pete was the one to open the door and let me back in.”

The brunette thought back to the dazed look on her partner’s face when she’d found him in HG’s clutches. “Poor Pete.”

“Poor Pete?” Helena’s voice rose with indignation. “Need I remind you that I had to endure flirting shamelessly with him and then actually kissed him, sans artefact inhibition?”

“No, I’d rather you didn’t remind me. And you can hardly blame Pete for that; it’s not like he forced you to be the villain!” Myka remarked, now feeling more than sorry for her best friend.

“Come now, Darling. Admit it; you like it when I’m naughty.” Myka’s shifting gaze and slack-jawed expression betrayed her opinion on the subject. She watched as the inventor’s gaze drifted over her face and those shapely eyes darkened impossibly. “Have I ever told you how much I love this top lip?” HG murmured as her thumb stroked slowly over the American’s mouth. “Of course, I adore every inch of your delicious body, but this lip... This is my favourite part. So very expressive and... yummy.”

Myka gasped at the open want in her girlfriend’s gaze and the hypnotic sensation of fingers exploring her like a work of art. “Helena,” she whispered. How was it that this woman could tear her apart and put her back together so easily? The trepidation she’d harboured early in their relationship was gone now and Myka found herself responding without hesitation. Rather than the rough hurriedness of the night before, she brought her hands up to cup pale cheeks and guided Helena’s mouth back to her own.

HG settled gently on top of her lover, raining short, soft kisses down on the mouth she professed to love so much. Having forgone her usual shorts for sleep in favour of something easier to remove, Helena grinned into her girlfriend’s mouth as she felt hands pushing the fabric high up her back and shifted slightly to allow it to pass over her head. Feeling slightly drunk on the emotions of the past twenty-four hours or so, she merely whimpered when Myka’s hands grasped her hips and reversed their positions. Legs opened of their own accord, welcoming the brunette to settle between them. She drew in a long breath of air the moment kisses began to travel along her jaw-line and down her neck, teeth gnawing at her own lip as her lover paid particular attention to sensitive areas.

Myka sucked an earlobe into her mouth and felt the inventor’s groan reverberate through her. Helena’s hands swam over her skin in long strokes, sinking under her shirt for long seconds before returning to her hair to find purchase on something. A desperate itch hummed along the taller woman’s nerve endings, reminding her that there were still barriers between them. She sat back on her knees, the covers falling behind her to reveal HG in all her glory, bathed in the pale moonlight that drifted in from the gaps in the curtain. Myka suddenly wished she had lit several candles, wanting to absorb her lover’s image for an eternity, but then deft hands were tugging at her t-shirt and sliding into her shorts, prompting her to tear desperately until the fabric was removed.

Skin on skin, bodies began to dance to their favourite rhythm. The cool air of the room only seemed to spur hands on to find those warm, dark places that sent hearts pounding and muscles twitching.

More than once, Myka began a southward journey with her mouth only to be pulled back to the taste of Helena’s tongue tangling with her own. Eventually staying put, she straddled one of her lover’s thighs, using it to rock against as her touch sank into soft folds and stroked their length.

“Myka,” HG’s voice escaped on a hitched breath of air, more sounds tumbling off her tongue in a jumble of phonemes, the occasional expletive reaching the brunette’s ears amongst the babble.

Causing the normally verbose woman to lose the ability to speak was a source of pride for Myka. She let her fingers dip into a well of desire as her lips found the outer curve of a breast and painted it with open-mouthed kisses. Her own intimate nerves twitched in sympathy as she slid inside her lover and savoured the sensation of Helena’s warmth enveloping her.

HG was so close to the edge by this point that all she could do was hold on for dear life. Myka was everywhere; surrounding, filling... loving her so completely. The release that had been insidious in its build-up now surged within her, hitting her with successive waves until eventually, she laid panting and grasping anything that could help her find the ground again.

They continued to make love well into the night, exhaustion forgotten in the wake of their reaffirmed connection.

Myka didn’t know how many times her girlfriend had bitten and sucked blood to the surface of her skin and though she knew Pete would tease her if he saw her with a hickey, she suspected that there would be mostly pride beneath any embarrassment she suffered.  Each love-bite was a brand that screamed ‘HG Wells owns me’ and Myka couldn’t help feeling smug about the fact.

They settled into their often-preferred position with Myka as the big spoon, her long arms encapsulating the more compact figure of the time-traveller. Thinking back to earlier, the field agent recalled the revelation she’d had and knew that her lover needed to know how she felt. “I trust you,” she whispered into raven hair and tightened her arms around the body curled into her.

Helena swallowed the sob of joy and relief that bubbled up in her throat. She allowed a lone tear to fall onto the pillow and smiled as her eyes drifted shut.

 


	11. Chapter 11

HG stood at the sink in her kitchen, surrounded by the discarded tools of the afternoon’s labour, cursing her decision to surprise Myka with a Thanksgiving feast.

How she had become so domestically orientated in recent weeks was something of a mystery. If anyone had told her in her youth that she would one day become the epitome of a housewife, she’d have scoffed with derision and told them in the unkindest terms where they could stick their gender stereotyping.

She supposed the answer was simple really. Losing her child had given her insight into the things that truly mattered to her, and pushing Myka away had taught her to see how destructive her hatred and anger could be. Having a second chance to make things right on both accounts persuaded her to be more accepting of a traditional role. Christina enjoyed the time spent together each day and Myka took on her fair share of housework when she was at home. They were a family. They worked together accordingly and occasionally she found a certain amount of enjoyment in the simple tasks.

With Myka in Colorado, visiting her parents, the inventor had felt suddenly lonely and on a whim had invited Leena and Lila over to keep her company, under the guise of teaching her a few foreign recipes.

Now, she felt crowded. Leena looked at her like she knew exactly what was on her mind and Lila was far too bubbly for her current mood to cope with.

They were keeping Christina happily entertained though, so every now and then HG managed to slip out the back door for a breath of air. That was exactly what she did once the sink was clear and all the pots were drying.

Wrapping a thick shawl around her shoulders, Helena stepped out onto the decked area behind the house and automatically let her gaze wander skyward.

How did the absence of one person manage to leave such a hole inside her? Was this how Myka had felt every time HG had chosen or been forced to leave the Warehouse? It had probably been much worse than this. Myka had not known when or if she would ever return and then in Boone she had practically told the brunette that she was not wanted.

_ Cowardice, _ she thought to herself scathingly.

They had come a long way together in a relatively short time. She wished she had insisted on accompanying the younger woman to at least be close by when she finished talking to her parents, but in the end, she had respected Myka’s need to do this on her own.

Now it was eating at her.

Over the last two weeks, something had changed between them. The couple of artefact grabs that had taken the field agent far away from home had brought a hollow ache to the inventor’s chest that had never been there before. At least, not to the same degree. She was feeling the absences much more acutely and it showed in her mood swings.

“HG?” Leena’s voice battled through the chill in the air to reach the inventor. “We’re almost done in there. We’re going to go soon, so I just wondered if you wanted a moment to talk about whatever’s bothering you.”

The Victorian swallowed her initial uncharitable response and huffed her annoyance instead. “I’m being selfish, wanting her to stay close to home all the time, but this waiting around is bloody unbearable!... Bollocks,” she muttered to herself as she realised that she had begun to pour her heart out without meaning to. _What is wrong with me?_

Leena stepped up close to the time-traveller, pulling her own coat tighter around her shoulders to stave off the icy breeze. “You feel what you feel, HG. You can’t help that. If the feeling is there, then there must be a reason for it. Perhaps you need to figure out why you’re feeling this way before you can tackle it.”

“I just need her here. Every time she goes away recently, I’m restless. The reason continues to elude me.” Helena drew her shawl closer to her body, attempting to drive away the cold that wasn’t entirely due to the weather. “I thought I had dealt with my fears and insecurities while we were still at the bed and breakfast. Now I’m not so sure... It feels different. As if it is not entirely under my control.”

“You think it might be the influence of an artefact?” The B&B owner asked curiously. “When would you have come into contact with one? Unless you think Myka’s the one who’s been affected and you’re feeling it through her?”

“I wish I knew. Either way, I feel as if my skin is crawling constantly and I won’t be able to relax until she’s home.” HG finally decided that it was too cold out and moved back indoors. She could hear Christina and Lila in the living room so ducked into the dining room out of earshot. “Before you ask, Myka and I have spoken about this, though she’s not yet aware that the symptoms have been worsening. I intended to see how this latest separation progressed before sharing my findings with her. Now however, I wish I had insisted on travelling with her.” She began to pace the room while occasionally running her fingers through her hair and wringing her hands.

Leena moved into her path and placed both hands firmly on the inventor’s shoulders. “HG, we can’t leave you like this until Myka returns. Either we need her to come home early, send you and Christina to her, or find some way to keep this anxiety at bay until she returns.”

“It’s only a two day trip.” Helena clenched her teeth and sighed. She very much wanted Myka to come home but didn’t want to interrupt her personal mission. “She needs to talk to her parents and I told her that I’d respect her decision to do that on her own.”

“Option three it is then.” She smiled at the dissatisfied expression on the raven-haired woman’s face. “I think you should have dinner with us tonight. That way,” she continued before HG could protest. “You won’t have to worry about Christina if you need some alone time.”

“Very well,” the agitated woman agreed once she’d taken a moment to think about it.

The eight year old was excited to be going out for the evening and raced upstairs to fetch the blue-prints she’d sketched for Claudia. The two of them had conspired to build a playhouse in the younger girl’s back garden and the computer whizz had sent Christina away with homework after their last brain storming session.

Christina charged ahead of the adults, impatient to see Claudia. As the bed and breakfast was visible from her own home, her mothers often allowed her to go ahead of them while they strolled along at their boring adult pace. At any other time, she would be expected to stay by their side and in their sight, particularly for her Mummy, so she always took the opportunity to dart ahead when it presented itself.

She found her new idol lounging in her usual man-eating beanbag, laptop perched in its proper place on her knees.

Flopping down on the floor, skirt billowing like a parachute around her, Christina grinned over the top of the screen and waited for the tech genius to acknowledge her.

It was a battle of wills that could continue for several minutes if they were both of a like mind. On this occasion though, barely twenty seconds passed before the corner of Claudia’s mouth turned up and a matching grin spread across her face. “Heya Squirt. S’up?”

“I have the blue-prints,” Christina replied, pride coating her tone.

“Already?” Claudia exclaimed in surprise. She moved her laptop to the floor and reached for the items in question. After giving them a cursory look, she picked up her belongings and scrambled to her feet. “Nicely done my young Padawan. Let us retire to the bat-cave to check these out huh?”

HG watched her daughter shadow the red head up the stairs and smiled to herself. Moments like this made the years of heartbreak and borderline insanity worth it. Christina was surrounded by strong, intelligent women and while the world was far from perfect, she was thankful for the opportunities that were available to her. Introspective moments like this though sometimes made her think of the coffin that still resided in that French cemetery.

Closing her eyes briefly, she tried to force the image back into its box. With some measure of success, she eventually wandered into the living room, arriving in time to see Lila sinking into the couch in exhaustion.

The newest member of the Warehouse family had settled into her bizarre new life with relative ease. Her easygoing attitude and simple humour complimented Pete’s zany character nicely and her open-mindedness was pivotal in helping her to accept their crazy jobs. They talked freely around her now, sometimes forgetting that she didn’t already know the unbelievable back stories. Like for instance, that Myka’s girlfriend and daughter were technically over one hundred years old, and that Helena was actually the inspiration behind the novels by HG Wells.

Helena looked the other woman over and felt a momentary pang of guilt that Lila was probably so tired due to having spent most of the day with a very active eight year old. She took a seat next to the blonde and pulled her feet under her in an attempt to find a comfortable position.

She watched the other woman throw her a long curious look and smiled to herself. “You’re still getting used to me, aren’t you? I imagine it’s quite the feat to discover a time-traveller in your midst and manage not to pepper them with questions. I often wonder how I would have felt if Boudicca or Joan of Arc had fallen into the nineteenth century and we’d had the fortune to cross paths...” She noticed Lila’s raised eyebrow and had the decency to blush a little. “Not that I’m comparing my achievements to theirs of course.”

“HG Wells is well known for having supported women’s rights,” the blonde commented kindly. “That had to be a battle in itself.”

“You’re right, it was a struggle. My brother, Charles, was reluctant at first to put his face to the articles I wrote for some of the London papers, but I eventually managed to persuade him that women were just as deserving of respect as men. In the end, it was a show of force rather than words of logic that turned him around.” She grinned at the memory of her brother’s cries of surprise and pain. She hadn’t really hurt him that much, but it had been enough for him to admit that women had the potential to perform as admirably as men, given the opportunity.

Chuckling lightly, Lila leant her head back against the couch cushions and closed her eyes briefly. “I bet that was a funny sight to see.” Her eyes opened slightly to see the Victorian. “It’s thanks to women like you that we have the levels of freedom we have. It’s hard not to take it for granted sometimes, but then there are many areas of the world where women are still treated as second class citizens. There’s still a lot of work to be done before we can truly say we’ve achieved equality.”

HG stared across the room, seeing the news articles she’d researched immediately after her un-bronzing and the more recent bulletins that rarely escaped her attention. She shook her head. Dwelling on these issues too much often led to thoughts of artefact misuse, and that was a path she swore she wouldn’t walk again. “We must all continue to voice our opinions and do as much as we can to change opinions. Even in the developed world, I’ve noticed a deplorable propensity to stereotype genders. There is a certain amount of logic attached to habits and preferences of males and females, particularly when you observe children; biologically we have to be different. Though it pains me to see people being ridiculed when their preferences divert from the norm.”

“You’re worried about Myka,” Lila concluded when she recognised the pained expression that fell over her friend’s face.

“Yes,” the inventor responded curtly. Myka was never far from her thoughts, but their short conversation about the past had given her a brief reprieve from the churning panic she had felt all day.

“Have you spoken to her today?” Lila asked gently.

“I called before we left to make our way here. I’d hazard a guess that she was in discussion with her parents as it went directly to her voice-mail.” She began to worry her hands again, her imagination drifting to the trouble that could have befallen her lover. She knew she had to be patient though. Myka’s task would not be a quick or simple one, no matter how positive or negative the outcome. “I left a message. I will hold onto hope that she has an opportunity to return my call sooner rather than later.”

* * * * *

Flying in the night before to get an early start had seemed like a good idea while Myka agonised over her plans for this visit, but in practice, all it did was take her away from her lover’s calming influence and provide her with far too much time to think. Being left alone with her thoughts was a dangerous thing when she was nervous. She had chosen to walk to her parents’ store instead of taking the rental car she’d picked up at the airport and found herself across the street, staring at the ‘Bering and Sons’ sign, sooner than she liked.

_ This really shouldn’t be so hard,  _ she thought to herself for the thousandth time. _In essence, I’m just telling them that I’m in love and that I’m happy. Why is it such a big deal that it happens to be with a woman?_

She sighed, knowing that this wasn’t the first and most certainly wouldn’t be the last time that she would have to steel herself to meet with potential homophobia. Such was the reality of being in a same-sex relationship. It certainly helped that the people closest to her were completely comfortable and supportive of her change of lifestyle. Tracy’s reaction was a highlight that she really hadn’t expected from her usually critical sibling. Apparently it had been ‘about damn time’ that she found someone to help her be less uptight and stuffy.

Tracy hadn’t been home to see their parents on Thanksgiving since marrying Kevin three years ago. They always spent the day at his parents and returned to Colorado Springs on the Saturday for a smaller celebratory meal. That left Myka alone every year with her parents, Aunt Sophie and Uncle Adam, and her maternal grandmother. At Christmas, for the past two years, she had successfully excused herself with work, though she had a strong suspicion that her mother assumed that she had a secret lover to spend the holiday with. She would bet her life savings that in Jeanie’s mind, that secret lover was Pete.

Trying not to shudder with revulsion at those images, Myka gathered what little courage she had left and crossed the street to her parents’ shop.

It was still fairly early, especially for a Saturday, but there were a few eager shoppers strolling passed the ‘open’ signs, some stopping occasionally to gaze upon window displays decked with holly and tinsel. Many of them were faces she knew from her youth and she smiled as best she could in her present state of mind at the ones who recognised her.

Her father had his usual seasonal decorations out. In pride of place, overlooking the street, were the works of; Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Phillip Van Doren Stern, Dodie Smith, Hans Christian Anderson, Valentine Davies, Louisa May Alcott and E.T.A. Hoffman.

Myka had read them all as a child and each held a particular memory of a Christmas morning spent reading by the streetlight while her sister trotted around looking for presents and her mother, already in the kitchen, prepared provisions for the day. By mid-morning she would be halfway through her book and Tracy would be whinging at her because she was hyped up on sugar and there were still presents to be opened. One year, she had let her younger sibling open her presents so she could read a little longer. She hadn’t seen the harm as it made them both happy, but the lecture her father had given her about respecting the effort that people put into getting her gifts and being appropriately appreciative had not been an experience she ever wanted to repeat.

The tinkling of a bell above her head announced her entrance to the shop and alerted the grey-haired man behind the counter. His politely curious expression shifted to a familial smile as he recognised his eldest daughter. A gruff cough covered the involuntary show of emotion and soon he adopted a more recognisable frown.

“Myka.” He remained behind the counter, his attention split awkwardly between his inventory and visitor. “Your mother and I weren’t expecting to see you until next week. What brings you here so early? Need to buy a book?” He chuckled to himself and turned to pick up a huge, battered volume of War and Peace. “Got some new first additions in. Not all in great condition mind you, but I got a good bargain on a mixed box.”

“That’s great, Dad. I’ll have a look through before I head home.” Myka’s gaze wandered over the shelves like they were old friends as she shifted nervously in front of the counter. She recited her plan in her head again, trying to find some way to keep on track and not lose her head. “I erm... I wanted to share some news with you and Mom. Maybe when you close for lunch? I was going to pick up a few things from my room too, if that’s ok?”

Warren levelled a searching gaze at her over his glasses, making her feel trapped like she had been on several occasions in her youth. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hide her nervousness from him so didn’t even try. “It’s your room,” he commented in a non-committal manner. “I had to stack some inventory in there last spring and haven’t managed to shift much of it yet, so as long as you don’t mind squeezing round everything, you’re welcome to do what you like in there.”

He was avoiding what he sensed was the more serious topic, but as that suited Myka’s needs, she didn’t add anything. “Thanks,” she said as she moved towards the back of the shop and the ‘employees only’ sign. “I’ll see you for lunch then.”

The small winding staircase, leading up to the apartment, creaked with each step she took and in her mind she pictured the pains she had gone to once to find a noiseless path between the two floors. It was hard not to feel like a child every time she came home. Only, it occurred to her now that the word ‘home’ inspired a great deal more comfort than it ever had before. As much as the familiarity of the shop brought back a few pleasant memories, mostly of her early love of books, this was not her home and hadn’t been for a long while.

Thinking of Helena, she remembered the last time she had been forced here by the enigmatic Victorian. A sad smile tugged at her lip in memory of that turbulent time. Despite the fact that the woman she loved, who had betrayed her and crushed her heart, was a hologram, it had never felt more right to Myka than to be standing next to HG Wells, surrounded by the words of other authors who had brought many moments of peace to her life.

In hindsight, she often wondered how she had not seen the intense struggle; the war that had raged violently inside that tortured soul. She pictured Christina; her smile, her laughter, the feel of her body curling so small and warm into her side; who could remain sane after losing something that was so precious it was impossible describe? The sheer horror of such a thought pulled Myka to a momentary halt at the top of the stairs.

These were the people she was trying to protect. These beings brought her such unbelievable joy that there was no question of choosing between her old life and her new one. She loved her parents, no matter the issues between them, and that would never change, but her future was with her girlfriend and their daughter; if her parents couldn’t accept that, there was nothing more for her in this place.

After popping her head in on her mother and reassuring her that she was fine, but wanted to wait ‘til lunch to talk, Myka found her way to her old room and shut herself in.

The floor was covered in crates of books, momentarily tempting her to peek inside and begin sorting through the various texts. Organising books, she knew, would calm her down for a short while, so she didn’t put the idea completely out of mind. However, she had visited the shop early with a task in mind and needed to see to that first.

From the top of her wardrobe, Myka began by pulling down an old suitcase and dusting it off. The leather was soft to the touch, having been worn by years of heavy use, but the hinges were sound and the catches still worked. It would do for her purpose.

She threw it open on the bed and then proceeded to open cupboards and drawers, pulling out old journals, photo albums and sentimental objects that to anyone else would probably look like junk. Each item found a place in the suitcase, the more delicate ones being wrapped in packing paper before joined their compatriots. 

What could have taken half an hour without any breaks, dragged on until gone eleven as each new find prompted the necessity to sit on the edge of the bed and reminisce. She flicked through specific pages of her journals and contemplated letting her girlfriend read some of the entries. Helena was far too curious a person not to at least ask, and Myka felt a small thrill at the idea of one of her childhood heroes reading her innermost thoughts.

Finding herself running out of time, and beginning to feel her nerves return, the agent hurried things along until she came to the last item.

From beneath a floorboard, behind her bed, she pulled out an ornate box about the size of a small toaster on its side. The old style lock required a chunky brass key that Myka found still taped to the back of her wardrobe. Inside, she knew there lay treasures of her own discovery; items she had collected mostly for their historical value, but occasionally because she had been inextricably drawn to them and instinct had demanded she take possession.

It occurred to her now that any one of those treasures could be an artefact, so instead of giving into her desire to handle her prized possessions again, she placed the box carefully in a static bag and packed it.

Taking one last look around her room and wondering if it would be the last time she ever did, Myka felt confident that, no matter how this conversation went, she would be returning to a place she could really call home, to people who loved her without judgement or reserve.

Her mother was already busy preparing their lunch when the young agent entered the kitchen. Myka had requested something light, knowing that her stomach wouldn’t handle much. She set her suitcase down near the door in preparation for a swift escape and began laying the table, letting the familiar monotony of the task calm her marginally.

“Did you find everything you wanted from your room, dear?” Jeanie asked once she noticed Myka in the room.

“Yes, thank you, Mom.” She fiddled with the napkins as she searched for something to postpone the awkward silence that she felt building. “So, Dad has a lot of stock he can’t shift? What sort of books are they?”

“You were up there almost three hours and you didn’t read even one book from those crates?” A rough voice came from the doorway and Jeanie turned back to her task, bustling around faster than before. 

Myka blushed. “I thought about it but I got lost reading through my journals.” She took her place in the middle of the table, her mother and father either side of her as their meals were passed out and her mother began by saying grace. Myka bowed her head out of respect for her parents’ beliefs, but otherwise remained silent.

Their lunch consisted of the clatter of metal on china and the sound of chewing for several minutes. Eventually, Jeanie’s curiosity got the better of her.

“So Myka. Where’s Pete today?” The grey-haired woman directed her question at her plate. So many of their conversations were undertaken without eye contact and Myka was fed up of it. “He’s such a sweet boy. You really should snap him up before some other woman does. A man like that won’t stay single forever.”

“I’ve never been interested in Pete, Mom. Our relationship is entirely platonic.” Myka knew there wasn’t much point trying to explain this to her mother, but the words came out of habit.

Jeanie shot her an annoying ‘mother knows best’ look, alone with a patronising smile. “Well, you just be sure to bring him along at Thanksgiving and we’ll see what we can do about that.”

“Always thought he was a bit of a drip personally. How he ever got into the Secret Service baffles me,” Warren grunted from his side of the table.

“Dad, he’s a great agent. What he lacks in book-smarts, he more than makes up for with natural instinct,” the brunette defended her friend before turning back to her mother. “And he’s seeing a woman called Lila who suits him so much better than any other woman I’ve seen him messing around with.”

“That’s a shame, Dear. You did look good together. So you’ll be coming to Thanksgiving dinner alone again then?” The disappointment on the older woman’s face was clear. With her younger daughter happily married and with a baby on the way, she really needed to find a suitable man for her eldest. “Perhaps your Aunt Sophie could recommend a young man for you.”

Myka placed her cutlery carefully on her plate and wiped her mouth deliberately on her napkin. “Actually Mom, I’m not coming to Thanksgiving this year. I have plans for the holidays at home. If you’ll have me and a plus two, I’ll visit the same day Tracy does.” She braced herself for the interrogation that was sure to follow.

At first, there was silence, and then, hands clapping together with delight, Jeanie squealed to herself. “You’ve finally found someone and you want to spend the holidays with him?” It sounded like a question but Myka knew that her mother was sure of her assumption. “Well, Dear... As long as you promise to bring him along to meet everyone before next year... It’s wonderful that you finally found your one. What’s he like? Tell me everything!”

Myka sat poised to burst her mother’s happy bubble when Warren cleared his throat, interrupting with his own question.

“Who’s the other plus one in your plus two?”

Feeling a touch of relief at the delay, Myka managed to crack a smile. “Christina, our daughter.” Seeing that she’d just created more questions, she continued. “Christina is eight. She’s... well, she would be my step-daughter.” Her smile grew involuntarily. “She loves stories, she’s a brilliant reader, and she’s really into acting too. She’s so inquisitive; we go out exploring all the time and she pretends to be all sorts of different characters while we’re out making discoveries.”

Jeanie’s expression softened from her excited line of inquiry. “She sounds delightful, and a lot like you were at that age, though you weren’t quite so public with your playing at make-believe. What’s her father like?”

“I have no idea,” Myka shrugged nonchalantly. She felt the question hit her like a shot of adrenaline and suddenly felt fearless in the face of these people. Talking about Christina brought home all the reasons for her recent contentment and created an invisible barrier between her and her demons. “I’ve never met him. Her mother though is amazing. She’s warm, passionate, intelligent, protective, beautiful and so much more. I never realised that I could feel this much for one person; that this is what it feels like to be so much in love.”

The silence that followed Myka’s impassioned confession was deafening. She sighed her disappointment, though it was half-hearted as their collective reaction didn’t come as much of a surprise. When their shock wore off however, the effect was immediate.

“Do you mean to tell us that you’re living in sin with another woman?” Jeanie asked in her most disapproving tone as her husband continued his stoic stance at the far end of the table.

“No,” Myka replied defiantly. “In order to be living in sin, I would have to be doing something sinful, which I don’t believe I am. How can love be a sin?” She shot back.

Her mother scowled. “Don’t take that tone with me young lady. If you are sharing... relations... with this woman, then you are living in sin. It’s nothing but self indulgence, letting yourself be swayed by lust.”

Myka felt her composure slipping in the wake of her mother’s outrage. _Is she even listening to herself?_ “There was plenty of ‘lust’ in my relationship with Sam and I loved him. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

“Of course you loved him,” Jeanie responded heatedly, missing the point entirely. “He was a lovely man.”

“He was married! How is my current relationship worse than that?” Myka blurted.

“He was separated, and in this day and age...”

“In this day and age,” Myka interrupted. “Enlightened and open-minded people realise that love between couples of the same gender is no different than that between heterosexual couples. I love Helena more deeply than I’ve ever loved anyone and wanting to express that love physically does not make our love any less valid!”

Jeanie stood up half way through her daughter’s speech and began collecting plates from the table. After putting them none too gently into the sink, she turned to her husband. “Warren, tell your daughter how wrong this is.”

His face was drawn, his expression showing deep thought. “Myka... it’s not natural.”

“And to think of that poor little girl living with the two of you,” Jeanie continued in her over the top tone of concern. “Aren’t you ashamed of the example you’re setting for her?”

Myka threw her chair back with force and rose to her full height. It was enough that her parents apparently thought she was a sexual deviant, but to question Christina’s well being simply because both of her parents were women? That hit a nerve. “I have a sister,” she stated firmly, bringing her mother to a confused pause. “That means, at some point during my childhood, I assume while I was in the house, the two of you were having sex.” She eyed them both, daring their denial. “To suggest that what Helena and I do in the privacy of our bedroom in some way adversely affects our child is ridiculous. You may as well condemn the entire human race with that reasoning.” She calmly moved round her chair and tucked it under the table. “I’ve said what I came here to say. If you can’t accept that, then it’s your loss and this is where we part.” She strode to the door and picked up her suitcase. “If you ever come to your senses, you know how to contact me.”

The agent made her way swiftly down the stairs but stood in the shop for several minutes to gather herself. Having anticipated feeling rejected and upset, she was thrown by the level of anger she felt.

She was livid and worried what she would do in this state. Her limbs shook and she closed her eyes to avoid the childish urge to throw something through the front window. The ringing in her ears from the pressure was so loud that she didn’t hear the heavy footsteps descending the creaky stairs behind her.

Warren stood awkwardly behind his daughter for several long seconds before finding the courage to speak. “Myka?”

Startled to find herself not alone, the irate agent turned sharply to stare at her father. “You have something to add to how unnatural I am?”

“I’m not going to apologise for what I believe, whether I’m right or not. I simply don’t understand what happened to you.” He was being his usual stubborn self and his defensive posture belayed that. “I wonder if this is my fault for making you think I wanted you to be a boy,” he thought aloud.

Myka sighed, feeling all of the fight drain out of her. He really wasn’t getting it, but at least he wasn’t just trying to shout her down. “I’m not going to put a label on who I am. I don’t love Helena because she’s a she. I’m in love with a wonderful person and I’m really happy for the first time in a long time. Why does it make any difference that the person who does that for me is a woman?”

Having had enough and feeling more in control, Myka gave her father a last fleeting look of frustration before stepping through the shop door and striding away without a backward glance.

She wasn’t going to spend another night away from her family. She would pack the few things she’d left at the hotel and head straight to the airport. With any luck, she would be home before Helena was asleep.

* * * * *

The drive home from Kadoka Municipal Airport took far longer than Myka was happy with. There had already been a delay back in Colorado when airport security had had to remove an extremely inebriated woman from the plane after she slapped a stewardess, and it was now way past when the agent’s family would have settled down for the evening.

Creeping softly into the house and security the door behind her, Myka locked her old suitcase in the cupboard under the stairs and took the rest of her belongings up to the bedroom she shared with her girlfriend. Carefully pushing the door open, she tiptoed inside and then stood just beyond the end of the bed, looking over the beautiful woman who lay there.

As a warm smile tugged at her mouth, she felt all of the stress and anger of the last two days drain away. Covers askew and limbs sprawled at odd angles, suggesting a restless sleep, Helena snored softly into the crook of her elbow. The expression on her face told the late traveller that the past forty-eight hours had been tough on the older woman too and she began to regret again the decision to break the news to her parents alone.

After completing her ablutions and changing into a loose t-shirt, Myka climbed into bed and gently coaxed Helena away from the edge, where the inventor was in danger of falling out. Bleary eyes opened to the darkness of the room and immediately sought her out. “It’s ok, honey, it’s just me.”

“Myka?” Half asleep still, HG struggled to prop herself up. Once she realised that she wasn’t dreaming, she fell upon her lover and held on tightly. “Oh, thank God,” she whispered passed vocal chords that were half-frozen with emotion.

“Helena, you’re shaking,” Myka’s voice rose.

“I’m sorry, darling. I didn’t know it was going to progress to this level,” Helena mumbled into the taller woman’s chest.

“Didn’t know _what_ was going to progress?” Pulling back as far as her lover’s arms would allow, Myka frowned. “Your anxiety?” She felt HG’s body sag and her head incline affirmatively. “How long has it been this bad? Why didn’t you call me?”

Helena’s octopus-like grip loosened and the trembling in her body diminished. “It was manageable last time, and I knew that you would be home by tomorrow so there really wasn’t much sense in disturbing you. I planned on telling you once you were back.”

The newly returned agent sighed. They had discussed this issue not too long ago but she hadn’t known the extent or physical effects of their separation was this distressing for her girlfriend. “I’m sorry. I’d have taken you both with me if I’d known.”

“Neither of us could have anticipated this, love. Christina and I spent the afternoon at Leena’s. Artie was not happy with my condition. Apparently, Pete has been experiencing similar difficulties so they’re looking into possible artefact involvement.”

“I should have been here with you,” Myka thought aloud, now really regretting her two day trip in light of this new information. “You and Pete barely spend any time together. What could possibly have affected both of you?”

Helena snuggled into Myka’s side with a sleepy, contented sigh. “Thus far I am at a loss to explain it, though right at this moment, I am more interested in catching up on lost sleep and getting a fresh start tomorrow... Unless you want to talk about your trip?” She added, suddenly recalling the reason for her girlfriend’s absence.

Agent Bering kissed the top of the raven-haired head that rested against her shoulder. “I need to process first; we can talk about that another day.” She felt her lover nod and her breathing even out, the inventor falling asleep within seconds. Despite her own dog-tiredness, sleep eluded her for a long while as her analytical brain puzzled over Helena and Pete’s mysterious anxiety attacks.

Tracking recent activities, group meals and artefact retrievals, there were only a handful of occasions when her girlfriend and her best friend had been in contact with one another. Helena was happy to have Pete around as Christina adored her ‘uncle’, but she only had a certain amount of patience reserved for him and often busied herself elsewhere when he was around.

The limited options should have made her task easier, but nothing jumped to mind.

Eventually, her thoughts began to drift and the memories jumbled together into one big collection of Pete’s finest food scoffing moments and HG’s excuses to be elsewhere. In the back of her mind, hidden for now behind the chaos, was the image of an isle in the Warehouse and a familiar hum of energy.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Three days passed before Myka could coherently discuss the visit to her parents without feeling anger surrounding her thoughts. Helena was suitably indignant on her behalf and suggested a few old fashioned punishments to enact upon the undeserving pair, which brought a reluctant smile to her girlfriend’s expression whenever her scheming began to go a little overboard.

Thanksgiving had come and gone, with the entire crew, including Artie and Vanessa, spending their celebration at the Bering and Wells household. All praised HG’s efforts in the kitchen, though there was some discussion about the possibility of robots having done the bulk of the work. Since it was an idea that had crossed her mind and she considered it a compliment that her friends thought her capable of such a feat, the inventor took the good natured teasing in her stride, even going so far as to dress Christina in a hastily made costume to act the part of the mechanical humanoid.

Everyone, except Artie and Vanessa, agreed to extend their stay over a couple of nights, giving Helena the chance to gloat to her girlfriend that five bedrooms wasn’t excessive after all. The following morning, Pete and Leena took over kitchen duty, cooking up a pile of pancakes and bacon large enough to feed an army, though since Pete took it upon himself to taste test each batch, it was probably a good thing.

The holiday weekend passed with little drama, bar the occasional sugar crash from Pete and Christina. By Saturday, the young girl had learned her lesson and started to go easy on the sweet treats, proving to her mothers that she definitely had more sense than Agent Lattimer, who would still be gorging on syrup come Monday morning.

After another monster breakfast on Sunday, Myka sprawled out on the couch, half asleep by the time Helena finished seeing the last of their guests out. Christina lay in her own semi-comatose state, cuddled up to her mama while they watched an early rerun of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’.

HG wandered back into the room, relieved at having their home to themselves again, but with a self-satisfied glint in her eyes. It didn’t take much to encourage her girlfriend to shuffle around to make room for her and soon enough, she was snug behind the taller woman, her arm wrapped possessively around the brunette and a hand stroking her daughter’s wavy hair.

For once, neither adult reached for the remote to turn off the TV in favour of a game, puzzle or book. They were content to bask in the aftermath of a lovely holiday celebration spent with their chosen family.

Other than feeling a little queasy after three days of overindulging, the only other thing that had dampened Myka’s spirits was when she accepted a brief call from her father on Thanksgiving Day.

_ Shrill ringing catching her keen ears, Myka stepped out of the noisy living room to answer the phone, leaving Steve in the middle of his charade. Recognising the caller ID, she took a calming breath before picking up the receiver and bringing it cautiously to her ear. _

_ “Hello?” _

_ “Er hello, am I speaking to Myka?” Warren’s voice was gruff as usual, but Myka could swear that she detected a hint of nervousness. _

_ “It’s me, Dad.” _

_ His breath came out in a long exhale and the hint of nerves faded. “Ah, good. I wasn’t sure if the erm... if your... if she sounded like you,” he stumbled over the right way to verbalise his thoughts. _

_ The agent rolled her eyes. “She’s English, so no. You would know the difference if you heard her.” She didn’t really want to spend time wading through this conversation but as her father seemed to be trying to make an effort, she willed forth a little patience. “How is everyone?” _

_ “Well, your mother is insisting that you should know better than to abandon us during a family holiday. She’s told everyone that you’re staying with friends.” His tone had switched to ‘disgruntled’, which meant that he didn’t necessarily agree with his wife but he was having to listen to her so he needed someone to blame. _

_ Gritting her teeth to keep the worst of her thoughts in, Myka nevertheless stood her ground. “I’d have been happy to bring Helena and Christina for a visit if I thought we’d be welcome. Or even have you stay with us for a couple of days; we have plenty of room. As it is though, I’m not prepared to subject my family to your backwards views. They deserve better than that.” _

_ “Darling, who are you talking to?” Helena stepped out into the hallway and sidled up next to her girlfriend to kiss her briefly. “Christina’s up next; I didn’t think you’d want to miss it.” _

_ Myka felt a moment of panic but quickly suppressed it; this was her home and she had every right to kiss her partner without being concerned with her father’s prejudice. “I’ll be right there, Helena. It’s my dad.” _

_ HG felt a spike of irritation hit her and deliberately leant closer to the receiver as she wound an arm around Myka’s waist. “If he has not called to apologise for his atrocious behaviour, then he has no right to keep you away from your family’s celebrations.” _

_ The taller agent’s eyebrows shot up and a surprised smile found its way to her lips. She stole a quick kiss, assuring her that she’d be along in a moment. “That was her,” she continued into the phone. _

_ Mr Bering cleared his throat and continued to grumble. “Well, you’re right; she doesn’t sound a bit like you. Got some of your fire though, hasn’t she.” _

_ Myka couldn’t tell whether he approved or not, but she didn’t have time to figure it out at that moment. “Dad, I have to go. Have a good holiday.” She allowed him a second to return the sentiment before hanging up and rejoining the chaos in the living room. _

_ Walking straight into Helena’s embrace, Myka pulled strong arms tighter around her waist and tilted her head far enough to meet HG’s warm mouth with her own. Surrounded by love and laughter, Agent Bering settled in for the first Thanksgiving where she felt truly thankful for the people around her. _

After the phone call, she felt something inside flip and suddenly her house appeared brighter, her friends more endearing, Christina cuddlier and Helena more stunning than ever. Let her mother stew in her homophobia if she wanted; let her father be his usual disapproving self; the people they were hurting the most were themselves; Myka felt blessed and intended to appreciate every second of that foreign emotion.

Agent Bering’s deep breaths filled the silence as the film ended and Christina flicked the standby button on the TV remote. Both of the Wells females glanced at the American with fond expressions and with careful movements, managed to extract themselves from the tangle of limbs and left Myka covered with a thick blanket.

In Christina’s room, Helena agreed to look at the girl’s plans for the tree house and, after some tweaking, they began construction of a miniature replica. They used half dowels in place of the sawn logs and cellophane where HG planned to purchase plexi-glass for windows. From the eight-year-old’s junior science kit, they wired up some lights, and a motor for the ceiling fan when it got too hot in the summer.

Almost two hours passed before the inventor returned to check on her girlfriend and found her still sleeping. She took a seat on the edge of the couch and gazed down on her slumbering partner, her hands unable to stay at her side as they gave into temptation and began playing with wild curls. She thought about all that had happened in the last two weeks and understood why her lover was so tired.

Myka’s last artefact grab had taken her and Claudia to Kentucky while Pete and Steve hopped over the pond to Rome. The girls had needed all their wits about them as they chased down a pair of Usain Bolt’s trainers; the ones he’d worn during the Beijing Summer Olympics when he’d broken the world record to begin his reputation as world’s fasted person. Originally having been sold to charity, the runner’s stylish and sought after footwear soon became the property of a business mogul who it seemed, was happy to use them to outrun his debtors after he declared himself bankrupt. It took all of their combined genius to figure out a trap simple and agile enough to capture their assailant, but three days later, they made it back home.

After a few days of inventory and a lot of debate over the subject at home, the field agent left again, this time for Colorado. Each time, Helena would grit her teeth, anticipating the constant worry that sat in the back of her mind when Myka was gone.

Why should she feel this way when her lover’s job had taken her away from home many times before without experiencing such negative reactions? It reminded her of the total panic and desperation she’d felt the day she’d returned to her home in London to be told what had happened to her daughter. She had been blinded by the emotions building up inside her and incapable of seeing the consequences of her actions. The intensity of her current predicament wasn’t the same, but the similarities were there and the reminder was not at all pleasant.

Looking over her lover now, Helena tried to hold onto this feeling of peace. The reality of their profession never left the back of her mind, but she was determined not to let the fear of what could happen ruin the here and now. Ever mindful of the past, she still tried to push her thoughts to the present and future.

_ Imagine that hair in a veil, _ she heard her inner voice muse, and then, _imagine the light in her eyes as you ride through London on a horse and trap, knowing that you’ve just promised to the world that you’ll be together forever._ A reverent smile crept unnoticed onto her face as her mind continued to open up to the idea. _Imagine waking up to her face every day for the rest of your life in the knowledge that you belong to her and she to you._

The institute of marriage had always been a bothersome notion to the rebellious Victorian so the idea that she could so readily accept belonging to another human came as a surprise, and yet not so much. No one, in either of her lifetimes, had ever made her feel like gravity kept her constantly orbiting a brilliant star. Christina was her only exception, but even that comparison didn’t compute; the maternal instincts that eternally bound her to her child made perfect sense, but not even the girl’s father had convinced her that her life would be better spent in the arms of one lover... Her soul mate... Not until Myka.

Having no idea how long she’d sat there, philosophising about the concept of love and marriage, she was startled when forest-green eyes opened and a sleepy smile lit up the American’s unique features.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Myka enquired as she yawned and stretched before glancing at the clock, her eyes immediately going wide. “God, is that the time? How long ago did the movie finish?”

HG chuckled. “A couple of hours ago. I came down to see if you were ready for lunch; you said you weren’t feeling well after breakfast.”

The sleepy agent nodded. “And the staring?” She continued with a knowing smirk.

“How could I resist? I so rarely have an opportunity to watch you sleep. You really have to stop waking up so early.” Running her fingers along an exposed arm, she thought carefully. “Or stay home and take more afternoon naps.”

Myka lifted the blanket and shuffled further into the couch to make room, not needing to voice her intention to get her girlfriend to lie next to her and snuggle. “What would you do with me all day long?”

Helena’s hands sought out soft skin as her lips explored the long length of her lover’s neck. “Darling, do you really have to ask?”

Feeling her face flush and other parts of her body wake up, Myka turned slightly to face the researcher. “I don’t believe that you would leave Christina alone so you could spend hours naked with me. I can only conclude that you would tease me mercilessly until I cracked and dragged you off for a quickie.” Her own hands refused to behave and even as her tone suggested disapproval, her actions told a different tale.

“Would I do something so tawdry?” Myka didn’t answer, she simply raised an eyebrow as her fingers halted in their exploration of her lover’s torso. “I don’t believe you should answer that,” HG added with a devious smirk.

“I think it best that I don’t,” the brunette agreed with her own teasing smile.

“Hmm, after all, why guess when I could just as easily show you what I have in mind?” On the word ‘show’ HG’s wandering fingertips tiptoed their way under Myka’s shirt and ran the length of her stomach to edge around the underside of her bra.

Myka had no words to cover the sudden need that rose within her. Instead, she wrapped her hands around the back of Helena’s skull and pulled her down to meet her lips in a passionate kiss. Tongues dancing a frenzied tango, their bodies pushed impossibly closer. What began as innocent flirting quickly spiralled out of control until they began to lose all sense of where they were.

Rapid footfalls descended the stairs, breaking the heated moment like a bucket of cold water being tipped on the lovers. HG barely managed to retrieve a wayward hand from exploring a hardening nipple before Christina ran into the room.

Seeing the adults’ flushed faces, the young girl’s head canted to the side and she frowned at them curiously. “Mummy, what are you doing?”

HG rolled onto her back and tugged distractedly at Myka’s curls. “Kissing,” she replied to her daughter simply.

Christina pulled a face, exacting an expression of disgust. “Yuck. Why are grownups always kissing? Uncle Pete is always kissing Lila too.”

Having surreptitiously managed to readjust her underwear, Myka pulled back the blanket and sat up, exchanging a look with her girlfriend. “Sometimes grownups kiss more because they want to remember how much they love each other.”

“Do you have to?” The miniature HG continued with her face still scrunched up.

“No.”

“Yes!”

Helena glanced at Myka with a raised eyebrow. Her bashful American was always more embarrassed than she whenever they were caught making out, but she suspected that it was her mother’s words coming back to her that made her hesitate now.

“Yes, darling; we do have to kiss. We love each other very much and there is nothing wrong with two grownups being in love.” She wanted Myka as much as Christina to believe this and not let her parents’ views taint her thoughts. “We make each other happy. Would you rather have a very cranky Mummy in the house?”

The girl shook her head violently, making Myka laugh at the seriousness of her expression. “I don’t believe we would survive even an hour,” the quick-witted child declared. She giggled and squealed as her mother’s mouth fell open and a hand made a quick grab for her.

“Insolent child!” Helena feigned shock and jumped up to chase the swift-footed youngster from the room, leaving Myka to chuckle to herself in their wake.

With a lengthy sigh, the lanky agent stretched out her stiff limbs and began to fold the blanket, her thoughts considering what Helena had just said.

A week ago, she wouldn’t have concerned herself so much with how her actions appeared to others, especially Christina, who had never shown any signs of being distressed by her and Helena’s relationship. In fact, the young girl had been their staunchest supporter, even before they had actually declared themselves a couple. She had assumed that all eight year olds pulled a face when they witnessed mushy moments between their elders, Helena certainly seemed to think it was normal behaviour for a child, but what if it wasn’t? What if they were causing the young girl some form of psychological damage?

Jeanie’s words wormed their way through her thoughts like a virus, infecting her memories and dulling the bliss she usually found in them until she felt the pricking of tears behind her eyes. She forced her thoughts back into the presence so that the sounds of giggles and hurried footsteps filled her mind again.

Shaking her head, she cursed her lingering insecurity, wiped away any residual tears and moved to join her girls upstairs.

* * * * *

Following the chaos of the holiday weekend, the Warehouse crew was grateful to be faced with a fairly slow week, as artefact hunting generally went. The only out of state ping was handled efficiently by The Second A-Team so the rest of the week was spent catching up on inventory and for Myka, generally keeping Pete out of trouble.

Alongside their usual tasks however, there was still the issue of Pete and HG’s odd behaviour that appeared to be triggered by Myka’s distant absences. Helena spent her time reading through old cases of artefact effects, comparing her symptoms to those she came across, while Christina worked on several ongoing projects to further her home studies and Myka left daily to see to her responsibilities at the Warehouse.

In between the heavy research though, life continued to plod along and while Agent Bering was spending less time flying all over the world to bag dangerous objects, a pleasant routine began to form in the Bering and Wells house.

Early Saturday morning, Myka woke with an unpleasant churning in her stomach. Since agreeing to have her sister and her husband over to stay the weekend, she’d been feeling these sporadic moments of nausea and the occasional headache.

Helena was always quick to remind her that Tracy had no problem with their relationship, but in Myka’s mind, she still held onto those years of rivalry and conflict that coloured their childhood. Even as adults, they’d never really grown close and barely spent more than a few hours in each other’s company. The uptight agent was willing to give her sister a chance however and so on the day of Tracy’s arrival, was up at the crack of dawn cleaning and fussing over every cushion and ornament.

Every now and then, HG would wake from her pleasant doze and crack an eye open to gaze across the room at the mad woman who’d taken possession of her girlfriend. “Love, come back to bed for a while. It’s too early even for you.”

“They’ll be here soon,” Myka’s irritated and worried tone reached back to the inventor.

Helena glanced at the clock with a frown. How soon was soon? “They’re not due until mid-day. That’s six hours darling, hardly worthy of all this fuss.”

“But there’s so much to do,” Myka insisted as she disappeared from the room again, leaving HG to fall back into the covers.

Giving up on sleeping in, as her girlfriend breezed in and out collecting laundry to re-iron, Helena dragged herself out of bed, jumped in the shower, took her time drying her hair and dressed before creeping across the hall to wake her daughter.

Sitting at the breakfast bar an hour later, the inventor fought a losing battle to try to coax her partner into eating something.

“Darling, you’re wearing yourself out before they’ve even arrived. We cleaned the house from top to bottom yesterday at your insistence; please do not spend all morning working yourself into a frenzy.” She watched, feeling useless as her girlfriend hovered uncertainly by the door.

“Mummy, I’ve finished,” Christina declared the moment the last of her poached egg disappeared. “May I get down?”

HG let her focus drift momentarily away from the lanky agent. “Yes love, of course. Put your plates by the sink please.” She saw Myka’s eyes flicker to the few dishes that needed washing and stood to intercept the compulsive intention.

“Helena?” Myka frowned, suddenly finding the Victorian’s behaviour mildly irritating.

“Myka, this is ridiculous. I hate seeing you like this. You are going to put something warm on while I wash these plates, and then the three of us are going to get some fresh air.”

“But...”

“There will still be plenty of time to fret if you wish when we return, but I think we would all benefit from the exercise and it might even prevent the two of us from driving each other to madness.”

Myka tried to protest but the inventor was having none of it. There was absolutely nothing else to do around the house and she knew it, but her busy mind refused to settle while waiting for her younger sibling to arrive.

A bitter, early December breeze forced the two women to walk closer together and with Helena’s arm around her, Myka finally began to relax. A pale blue sky stretched before them, no evidence yet of the snow that was forecast for the following week.

As had become habitual, Christina skipped the footpath ahead and stopped every now and then to pick up a fallen leaf or write her name in the snow. Helena watched the dizzying dance with amused exasperation.

“Christina love,” she called a few yards ahead. “Must you use every inch of the pavement when we go out walking? By now you’ve surely discovered a path to your liking.”

The girl in question sighed dramatically, lending a contrasting accompaniment to Myka’s short chuckle. With a deliberate twirl, Christina pranced back to her parents and made a show of trudging along beside them.

“Oh yes, Mummy; this is much more fun... not!” The girl giggled and jogged a few steps ahead to continue what she was doing.

Myka’s eyebrows shot up and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at her girlfriend’s expression. “Oh Helena, you should see your face.”

HG’s slack-jaw closed with a snap. “Did that really just come out of my daughter’s mouth?”

“She had been spending a fair amount of time with Claudia and honestly? You did kind of ask for it. Kids are incapable of walking in a straight line when left to their own devices.”

“If she begins punctuating her conversations with ‘like’ and ‘dude’ then, I’m sorry darling, but we’ll be moving to London in a heartbeat.” Helena’s indignation continued to show on her face, her expression turning sullen.

The field agent watched this play of emotion with great interest and felt a longing to ‘poke the bear’. “Where she can learn all about ‘apples and pears’ and a ‘dog and bone’?”

The inventor’s expression quickly became haughty at the suggestion. “You know very well that I have no intention of teaching her the common language of the street.”

Myka laughed a rare belly-laugh and shoved her lover gently. “Helena, you really are such a snob sometimes!”

HG rolled her eyes. “It is just so tiresome listening to people who speak without all of the vowels and consonants that are so essential to language. Just the idea of it gives me a headache.”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about as far as Chrissie’s concerned. Though she’ll undoubtedly pick up plenty of slang, she can still quote Shakespeare and Keats and reads fluently when she’s orating. She loves her books and that will give her an everlasting knowledge and understanding of speech and grammar.” Helena turned to give her a thankful look and Myka tilted her head slightly to lay a quick kiss on tempting lips. Their cool cheeks brushed together, reminding them of the need to keep moving.

The moment the trio stepped back in to their house, Helena felt her girlfriend tense up again. They had managed to walk for over an hour, leaving them with just two hours to wait on their guests’ arrival. Not wanting to let Myka dwell on her anxieties again, HG suggested that they should help their daughter with her adventure story for their Arctic exploration.

While Myka and Christina settled in the library, Helena made toast and tea, placing both in front of her lover, accompanied by a stern look that told the agent it would be useless to argue.

Time passed by much swifter while they were occupied and even Myka stopped worrying as they fleshed out a storyboard and watched the excited girl act out all the speaking and action parts.

The doorbell rang just as they were tidying away and Helena placed a reassuring kiss on her lover’s head before retreating into the kitchen to refill the teapot. As Myka stood to answer the door, Christina hurriedly stacked her work on her desk and scurried after her Mama.

Myka smiled down at the anticipatory expression beside her and placed a gentle hand on her daughter’s head, glad of the child’s comforting presence. “Ready?” she asked. At the firm nod of a head, she opened the door.

For the first five minutes of the younger Bering’s arrival, there was chaos. Kevin gave his sister-in-law an awkward hug as he struggled past her with their luggage, following Myka’s instructions as he hefted them up to the guest bedroom. Tracy complained about her back and feet as she tried to hug her sister passed her bump and bent as much as she could to greet her new niece. Finally corralling everyone into the living room, where the noise level rose again as Helena made her delayed appearance, the last introductions were made.

“Helena, this is my sister Tracy and her husband Kevin. Guys, my girlfriend, Helena.” Myka’s actions felt forced and awkward to her, but true to form, her partner was all grace and ease, charming their visitors without hesitation.

“It’s so lovely to have you here.” HG told their guest as she shook their hands and gestured for them to sit down. “Christina and I have been dying to meet you both. We had a science project all set with garish lights and music to greet you, but we had a rather spectacular disaster with it when it exploded and then melted.”

“You set the power too high, Mummy,” Christina accused her mother as she climbed on top of Myka’s lap on the couch and wrapped an arm around the brunette’s neck.

Helena perched on the arm beside her family, leaving their guests with the majority of the three-seater. She noticed the questioning expression on Kevin’s face and smiled mischievously. “I was distracted.” She looked directly at Tracy as she added, “Your sister was walking around in nothing but a towel.”

“Helena!” Myka’s indignant tone had never been higher and HG immediately adopted her most innocent expression even as Tracy Bering chuckled at her sister’s embarrassment. “I was looking for my robe, which you stole.”

“Borrowed, love.” The inventor insisted gently. “Stole is such a strong word.” With a casual wave of her hand, protests were conveniently forgotten. “Regardless, we surmised that the utter destruction of our project was likely a blessing in disguise; I doubt it would have endeared us to our neighbours. You may of course see the remnants, if you wish?”

Myka rolled her eyes, while Tracy and Kevin exchanged a look that said ‘is she serious?’ “Helena, I don’t think they’ll find much interest in a pile of burnt out plastic with bits of wire sticking out of it. You could start a gallery with the number of similar projects that met the same disastrous end in the basement.” The fond gaze she gave the Victorian extinguished any offence that might have been taken from those words and HG met it with a cocky grin.

“Most of my inventive dabblings end up on the rubbish heap it’s true. Though you have to admit darling, when I do get it right, I am rather fabulous.”

Forgetting for a moment about the people watching, Myka stretched an extra inch to catch her lover’s lips in a gentle kiss. “You certainly don’t lack for confidence,” she commented quietly.

HG’s desire filled gaze slipped easily back into a polite smile as she re-focussed on the two new adults. “Right then! Would anyone like tea?”

* * * * *

The weekend flew by and dragged in sporadic turns. One moment Myka was wishing that she didn’t have to hear any more about pregnancy aches and baby preparations, and the next it seemed, they had reached Monday morning and she and her sister were having a farewell chat in the library while Helena supervised Christina as she played scrabble with uncle Kevin.

Myka couldn’t help but feel surprised by how well the whole visit had gone. Though Tracy still teased her at every opportunity (and Helena had certainly provided the young mother-to-be with plenty of material), the agent found it much less irritating than she once had. The sibling banter didn’t make her feel worthless as it had done and Myka began to look back on their early interactions in a new light.

Their father had always put pressure on them to be better and do better, but more so with his elder daughter. Had Tracy resented that? Had she somehow seen her sister’s braininess and addiction to books as the link to their father that she would never have? Was it simply jealousy that had fuelled her hurtful comments about her lack of friends and the likeliness that she would end up an old spinster, surrounded by books and cats?

Whatever the reason, recent events had changed her opinion of her younger sibling and Agent Bering found herself imagining a future where her sister featured much more frequently in her life.

Tracy sat in the upright armchair, which for her size, posed an easier challenge to stand from. She sipped her tea and glanced over at the floor to ceiling shelves of books. “Some things never change I see.” She smiled and looked over at Myka, who had her feet tucked under her on the small couch, also with a mug of tea in hand. “I’m glad you found someone who gets the whole book obsession. She certainly knows her tea too, but I guess that’s not surprising considering she’s English.”

Rolling her eyes, Myka offered her sister a sardonic look. “Trace, that’s a stereotype. There are plenty of people in England who don’t drink tea, who wouldn’t know a good tea from a bad one.”

Tracy smirked. “But HG does. She’s even got you drinking it. I didn’t think I’d ever see the day you gave up coffee. The things we do for love.”

The agent shook her head emphatically. “I still drink coffee... Or well, I did, but recently it just smells and tastes all wrong. That’s the only reason I stopped drinking it, not because I want to impress my girlfriend.”

“Whatever you say sis. Maybe it tastes and smells all wrong because you know she doesn’t like it. You know, psychosomatic or whatever.” She grinned into her mug, watching Myka over the rim. “That or you’re secretly pregnant.” Myka coughed as she gulped too fast and felt her beverage enter her windpipe. She glared at her sister the moment she could breathe again. Tracy shrugged. “The tea is good anyway and I’ve heard good things about this red leaf raspberry tea. HG said it helped her with Christina’s birth, so I’m hoping it works for this little one. We’ll have to come visit you again.” She placed a hand on her protruding stomach and rubbed in a clockwise motion.

“We’ll come to you next time,” Myka told her sister with a tone that brooked no argument. “I don’t want you travelling so far when you look like you’re going to pop already.”

“Wyoming isn’t that far from you. In fact, sitting in the car is sometimes more comfortable than being in the house. The seat is shaped better and I can incline it the way I like. The only struggle is getting in and out.”

“Well regardless,” the older Bering sibling continued in her mother-hen tone. “You’ll be that much closer to your due date and I don’t want my niece or nephew to be born on the side of a road somewhere between Cheyenne and Univille.”

“Yeah-yeah,” Tracy smiled indulgently at her sister as she continued to sip her tea and rub her belly like a genie would sprout out of it at any moment. They sat in a companionable silence for a few minutes until the younger woman’s musings turned more serious. “Myka, I’m sorry about what mom said. I didn’t get it all, but they gave me the highlights, and she preached enough when I was there last Saturday for me to be glad you weren’t there to hear it.”

Myka pursed her lips and stared down at the floor. “I expected them to be resistant, but I admit I wasn’t quite prepared for that level of prejudice, particularly from Mom.”

“Yeah... Dad didn’t say much, but I got the impression that he didn’t really disapprove,” Tracy added in an attempt to find a bright side.

“Other than to tell me I’m unnatural,” Myka interjected bitterly.

Tracy cringed. “It’s not true Myka. You know that. Look, he’ll come around eventually; you always were his favourite, and hopefully Mom will mellow out in time. Meanwhile, you have your perfect partner and an adorable kid. Plus, I really don’t live that far away; you can bring the fam over whenever you like.” She glanced at her bump again. “I’d like this little one to know its aunties and cousin.”

Feeling tears building up, Myka hid behind her mug for a few seconds to recover before risking a glance at her sister. “I’m glad you’re here Trace. I could have worked through this with just Helena’s help, but it means more than you’ll even know to have your support.”

Tracy and Kevin drove away from the Bering and Wells household shortly before midday, with lots of hugs and kisses, and a few tears to see them off.

Myka stood with her arms wrapped around Helena from behind, her head resting on her lover’s shoulder as they watched the car pull away and chuckled fondly at their daughter’s frantic waving.

Christina skipped passed them on their way back into the house, her ponytail swinging wildly back and forth. “Can we play another game?” She asked, already heading in the direction of the living room, leaving her mothers to trail after her.

Eyes narrowed slightly with fixed intent, Myka closed the door without a backward glance, her gaze following the Victorian inventor. “Soon Sweetheart,” she told the young girl. “First, Mummy and I are going to have a little chat about the topics she may and may not discuss with my sister.”

HG grinned at the challenge in her lover’s gaze and strolled into the kitchen, seemingly without a care in the world, her expression entirely unrepentant.


	13. Chapter 13

Cold, dark mornings crept slowly closer as December took full effect and the buzz of a new holiday filled the air. A jolly Santa and his traditional menagerie usurped the shop window turkey, while soft flakes of crystallised vapour covered the land, filling the young and young at heart with the joy of the season.

Pings for the Warehouse remained conspicuous by their absence. With Christmas just over a week away however, and the odd behaviour of certain agents still causing concern, no one felt the need to complain.

At her usual punctual time, Myka reluctantly left for the Warehouse. She didn’t feel well at all, having not been able to keep her breakfast down and dreamt strange dreams again. Artie had wanted HG to join them for observations, but the inventor, though uncomfortable with her girlfriend leaving, still wouldn’t step foot in the Warehouse if she really didn’t have to. She was convinced that somehow, her blissful new life would explode spectacularly if she did. Therefore, with a long, emotional goodbye, the taller agent kissed her family and left for work.

Sitting sullenly, throwing a tennis ball at any and every surface, Pete looked like he’d just been given a month’s worth of inventory and filing. He glanced up as Myka entered and spared her a ghost of a smile before nodding across the room and rolling his eyes at the two people sat there.

Artie gestured wildly, perched beside Claudia while she tapped at her keyboard and mostly ignored their steaming kettle of a director.

“I guess we’re still at a loss as to what’s causing this then?” Myka asked her friend, glancing at their colleagues as she took a chair next to him.

“Yup,” Pete muttered, non-committal.

“Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine today,” Agent Bering grumbled as she picked up a book close by and leant back in her chair. His propensity to be somewhat childish was getting more on her nerves lately and she found her patience waning. From the corner of her eye, she watched her partner, eventually taking pity on him, remembering that he was experiencing the same thing that Helena was. “Pete, I’m sorry for being sharp; we’re all on edge at the moment. How’re you doing?”

Swivelling on his chair, the usually chipper agent sighed and sank further into his semi-depression. “I don’t get it Mykes. One minute I’m on top of the world, then the next I can’t relax and I feel like I’ve just drunk a vat of coffee; I’m on edge, I feel sick and I can’t sleep.”

Pete’s last two missions had been with Steve as Myka had taken a few days of personal time, so the slender book-worm hadn’t really been around to see her partner suffering. “Do you feel that way now?” She wondered, her pre-law training beginning to make an appearance as she felt a spark of inspiration and finally began to put together her case.

“Yeah!” He blurted with irritation and then immediately looked contrite. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s ok,” Myka reassured him while her deductive skills kicked in. “It’s interesting though. We all assumed that it was because of me; we’ve been spending a lot of time apart, on different grabs, but Helena feels better immediately when I’m around and after about ten minute she’s back to normal. You don’t seem to have the same trigger.”

Pete frowned and then sat up straighter as he felt the beginning of some tentative understanding. “Yeah. My head’s been so all over the place, I didn’t see it before. We haven’t spent much time together recently, but I’m really not feeling any better right now.”

“So the question is, what, or rather who, is your trigger... and why?” She continued to gently interrogate her partner as to his whereabouts at different times and took a mental note of the people with him when he experienced a bought of prolonged angst. As he talked, her mind moved the pieces of the puzzle around and eventually, she came to a logical conclusion. “It’s Lila,” Myka declared with almost complete certainty. “She’s your link.”

Scrunching his face up with intense concentration, Pete reviewed the same information and slowly nodded his agreement. “That makes sense. She’s been kinda ‘off’ this last few days, really snappy, kinda like you recently.” He noticed her narrowing eyes and continued hastily. “Anyway, we had a falling out last night and she wanted to spend some time alone. So now she’s gone and I feel all icky... Except that neither Lila nor HG have been in the Warehouse recently. Or ever in Lila’s case.”

“It has to be something we’ve come into contact with that we’ve passed on,” the curly-haired agent hypothesised.

“So why is it me and HG, and not her and Lila? Or me and you?” He queried.

Myka’s eyebrow rose as she took in the unusually astute question. “If we can figure that out, we may be able to solve this entire mystery.”

Artie eventually tired of badgering Claudia and approached his other agents. His demeanour was the usual grouchy impatience, but Myka detected an underlying nervousness that wasn’t usually there unless he had something to hide. “I didn’t think I’d be saying this in a hurry, but Agent Wells should really be here.”

Myka nodded in understanding; she felt like it would be easier to have everyone together where they could investigate the circumstances more easily, but then she would never make her lover do something that she didn’t really want to do, not if the alternative wasn’t life threatening. “I think she’ll warm up to the Warehouse again eventually, but for now it’s just too big a step. We’ve only had Christina back for a little over three months Artie; Helena needs time to adjust and realise that this life we have together is really real. Can you imagine existing a hundred years with the knowledge of your child’s death and then suddenly have all that change?”

“Yes, yes, it’s all very complicated,” he grumbled with limited sympathy. “That doesn’t change the fact that this would all be much easier with her here.”

“We think we might know who my trigger is,” Pete piped up to try and break the tension he could see building in his fellow agent. He really had to talk to her; she was much more irritable than usual. “HG gets all twitchy when Myka’s not around and I’m the same when Lila’s not around.”

Artie looked Agent Lattimer over with a speculative eye, his expression darkening ominously. “That actually makes sense.”

“What does?” Myka enquired further, sensing a piece of the puzzle emerging.

“We’ve been looking at this all wrong. We’ve been investigating artefacts that Myka has dealt with recently, thinking that she was the link for you and Agent Wells, but last night Claudia came across some disturbing information from a snag you both handled recently.” Gesturing for them to follow, the director led the pair over to where the young red head was still typing away and pointed to the screen. “That village you visited in Sri Lanka; they’ve reported a recent three hundred percent increase in pregnancies, compared to the same time period last year.”

Claudia’s posture was stiff in her chair and she threw Myka a searching look, waiting to see how long it would take her sibling-like colleague to reach the same conclusion she had. “Sri Lanka is where you snagged Inanna, the patron of prostitutes and goddess of sex, war and sometimes fertility. With powers like that, we could be rich in a month if we hired her out – like an x-rated version of a bouncy castle.”

Artie scowled at his protégé for even thinking of misusing an artefact and gestured toward the screen, telling her to switch to a different graph. “This is the percentage increase in crimes of passion and retribution acted out by the fathers of those offspring, though not necessarily the spouses I might add.”

“They correlate,” Agent Bering whispered, refusing to let her thoughts wander toward the obvious conclusion, ignoring the sudden mental connection between her fatigue, nausea, irritability and late cycle.

“Whoa, hit the brakes Artie. Dude, are you seriously trying to tell me that I knocked my girlfriend up?” His hands leapt to his head before he even had an answer and he fell into a nearby chair. This certainly explained Lila’s odd behaviour recently. “Wait. How does that relate to HG and Myka?” He pointed to his partner. “She’s not the one acting all over-protective and I’m ok with her going away. We didn’t... y’know... so how come they’re affected too? Unless...” His verbal musings came to a halt as he took in the awkward silence and the expression of horror on Myka’s face. “Oooh, Mykes. Did I accidentally make you pregnant again? My bad,” he flinched in reaction to the punch that he imagined was coming his way, but all the brunette did was stand and stare at him.

“Dude, I think you broke her,” Claudia finally piped up from her chair.

Artie cleared his throat, his gaze wary on the lanky agent as he continued to share his suspicions. “Your clumsiness put you both into contact with a very powerful artefact,” he reminded Pete disapprovingly. “But with how the evidence appears, you’re not the father...”

Myka felt her head swim and her legs turn to jelly as she finally let her brain come to the same conclusion. “Helena is,” she muttered before losing consciousness.

* * * * *

Having recently discovered the wonders of modern construction in the guise of children’s toys, Helena sat with Christina, ostensibly helping her to build a Lego castle. A jarring noise interrupted the adult’s fascinated concentration and she grumbled to herself at the unwelcome interruption. Rising from her daughter’s bedroom floor, HG made it out onto the landing to pick up the phone before the fourth ring.

“Wells and Bering residence,” she said in greeting, smiling to herself as she pictured the playful scowl that was usually thrown her way. She almost expected the reply to be a scornful ‘Bering and Wells’.

“Helena? Erm, or is it Emily again?” came an unsure voice that she immediately recognised.

“Nate! Hello,” she hesitated, wondering at what her response should be. “It’s still Helena, darling.”

“Right,” he mumbled, his tone sounding slightly sceptical.

Ignoring this, she decided to get straight to the point. “I assume that Adelaide gave you this number. Is she alright?”

“Yes, she said that you stay in touch via e-mail and that she could call this number in an emergency?”

“You did say I could keep in contact and I did promise her.” Her voice was cautious, still wondering why he was calling and hoping that he wasn’t taking his resentment out on the girl. “I had to put all of those computer lessons to good use somehow.”

“Right,” he repeated, sounding increasingly reluctant.

Helena was sure that she could hear another voice in the background, but it wasn’t clear enough for her to make out. “What do you need, Nate?” Straining her hearing, she knew she heard it that time, a begging ‘please Daddy’.

Nate sighed his defeat into the phone. “I have to drive to Michigan for a series of conferences. I can take Adelaide with me, but she’ll probably be bored the whole week so she wanted to know if she could stay with you?”

Helena paused with her mouth slightly open. “For the whole week?” She stopped again and then quickly realised that her comment could have been taken the wrong way. “Really? I can have her for a whole week? Nate I...” Hesitating again, she thought of her situation and knew that she wouldn’t be able to explain anything adequately. “Of course, she’s welcome to stay anytime she likes. I think I should inform you though, that my circumstances have changed somewhat, and as most things in my life, I can’t explain the hows and whys. I do work at home now though, so childcare will not be an issue. When were you thinking of dropping her off?”

“What do you mean your ‘circumstances have changed’? Did you find another family to infiltrate?” His voice lowered, becoming accusatory. He wasn’t about to leave his child with a bunch of complete strangers, no matter how much she wanted to see Helena again.

HG bit her tongue to prevent the sarcasm that hovered on the tip from escaping. “Nate, I know you think I deliberately deceived you, but I intended to do that. I needed a friend who knew my pain. I’m sorry that I thought I could be more for you. I cared for you and Adelaide, that was never a lie, and it still holds true.” She let her words sink in for a moment and then continued in the same calm tone. “I live with Myka now.”

He was quiet for a long time and she guessed that he was finally beginning to see the truth of her words. “Agent Bering? Why does that not surprise me?” He commented eventually in a marginally more pleasant tone.

“She’s trustworthy,” HG assured him, knowing that he had to be thinking of his daughter’s safety. “She’ll be fine with Adelaide.”

He scoffed slightly. “Honestly, having met her, I think I trust her more than I trust you, and I know you would never hurt my daughter.”

“Well then.” The inventor concluded brightly, attempting to hide the minor hurt in her voice. “I can’t discuss anything else now, not on the telephone; walls have ears. When will you be arriving?”

“We’re at a rest-stop on the road to... Uni-ville?”

“Un-i-ville,” she corrected. “It took a long time for you to decide to call me,” she concluded.

“Well, I had my reservations, but nearly nine-year-olds have their methods of persuasion,” he grumbled to himself.

Helena looked towards her daughter’s bedroom door. “Don’t I know it,” she thought aloud.

“You remember, huh?” He huffed a short sound of amusement, thinking that she was recalling her time with his daughter. “Just try not to give her everything she asks for. She needs some boundaries.”

“Not to worry, I’m sure she’ll find ample entertainment to keep her occupied. Since you’re passing through anyway, you may as well stop by. I can explain in more detail when you’re here and you can decide once and for all if you’re happy leaving her with me.” She used her practiced ‘no nonsense’ tone and he agreed almost immediately.

After hanging up the phone, HG returned to Christina’s room and lowered herself back to her previous position. “Love, we may be having a visitor to stay for the week.”

Dark, expressive eyes focussed on her. “Who, Mummy?”

“A young girl about your age. Her name is Adelaide. I lived with her and her father for a while. Before I brought you to America.” Since the complex details of Christina’s re-animation were still unknown to the child, HG didn’t elaborate any further.

Her daughter took it in her stride though. “She’s going to stay with us and sleep here for an entire week?”

“If her father approves, then yes, love.” HG chuckled at the adorable excitement that faced her.

“And we can play together every day?”

“Around your studies, yes.”

“Smashing!” The eager girl jumped up and began to survey her room. “She will sleep in here, won’t she, Mummy? We can make room,” she began rearranging the furniture before she even had confirmation. “I shouldn’t like to think of her being alone at night.”

Helena gazed at her child with an expression of pure love. Adelaide held a special place in her heart and she cared deeply for the girl, but nothing could take Christina’s place. To have the chance to see both girls together was an experience she had never thought possible. She hoped Myka could overlook the awkward association and feel the same way.

Half an hour gave the pair just enough time to pack away their tools of play and learning and make enough space to pull out a sturdy futon. HG placed folded linen, pillows and a duvet on the mattress, ready if their guest-to-be was allowed to stay.

She gently briefed her daughter regarding what she should expect from their visitors and then led her downstairs to await their arrival.

A rapid beep-beep caught the time travellers’ attention and HG opened the front door with building enthusiasm. Nate pulled up alongside the curb and glanced towards the house speculatively before killing the engine. There was a moment of prolonged anticipation as father and daughter conversed in private before both were stepping out of the car and moving towards the house.

“Helena!”

HG’s smile was wide and welcoming as Adelaide ran up the path towards her and jumped into her arms. Limbs, that were longer than she remembered, wrapped around her hips and neck and she breathed in her surrogate daughter’s forgotten scent.

“I missed you,” the blue-eyed girl murmured into the inventor’s ear, her arms tightening their hold.

“Oh my dear girl, I’ve missed you too. It’s so wonderful to have you here.” She took her eyes off the bright child to glance over at Nate. His expression was cautious and perhaps a little envious, and HG thought it best to release his daughter, for now.

As she was lowered to the ground, Adelaide finally took in her surroundings and spotted a figure hovering in the doorway. “Who’s that?”

The raven-haired woman looked back over her shoulder and held her hand out to her uncharacteristically shy daughter. “This,” she entwined her fingers with smaller ones and knelt down so she was at eye-level with the two girls. “Is my Christina. She’s been very excited by the idea of having you stay with us.”

Shaking off the feeling of unease that had overcome her the moment her mother embraced this unknown girl, Christina pushed back her shoulders and extended her free hand. “Christina Josephine Wells,” she greeted the new comer with a touch of pomp and circumstance. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Adelaide’s eyebrow shot up at the unexpected change but she quickly decided that she liked the straightforward manner.”Likewise,” she answered and shook the offered appendage.

Giggling, the two girls quickly became lost in their own world of childish things and with a parting ‘Mummy, I’m showing Adelaide my room!’ they tore off into the house.

Helena rose from her crouched position to meet Nate’s confused and annoyed expression. Before he could begin to question her, she held up her hands and fixed him with a firm stare. “I know it‘s confusing. Will you hear me out before you get on your high horse and drag Adelaide away?”

“Fine,” he conceded roughly, gesturing for his ex to lead the way into her house.

* * * * *

Pete gave up trying to engage Myka in conversation about halfway between the Warehouse and Univille. Once she’d woken from her fainting spell, she had insisted on going home, but as no one would let her drive, she’d been forced to accept her friend’s chauffeuring services.

His head was full of thoughts of diapers, sleepless nights and nine months of irritable women surrounding him; he couldn’t begin to imagine what was going on in his friend’s head and he felt another pang of guilt for being the catalyst for their current predicament.

Myka’s focus was still on the hands sitting in her lap when they pulled up behind a silver people carrier, her mind still searching desperately for a way to disprove the conclusion they’d all come to. The moment the humming of the engine stopped however, she returned to reality and looked up to find herself at home.

Thinking that her day couldn’t get any worse, she glanced through the windscreen, instantly recognised the number plate of the car in front and gritted her teeth. A scowl darkened her already grim features and with jerky movements, she released her seatbelt and exited the car, slamming the door behind her and leaving Pete to catch up hurriedly.

“Whoa, Mykes! What’s with the sudden rush?” Agent Lattimer sprinted ahead of his partner to cut her off at the door; suddenly worried for what she might do.

Myka levelled a hard stare his way, wishing she could smack the gormless look off his face. She really needed to take this feeling of helplessness out on someone. “That’s Nate’s car,” she informed him, pointing accusingly at said vehicle.

She went to step round his hulking form but he moved to block her again. “Ok, yeah I get why that would get your panties in a twist, but just take the pedal off the metal for a minute and breathe. Are you breathing?” At her irate glare he backed up a bit. “Ok, maybe that wasn’t the most sensitive thing to say considering...” he looked down at her stomach and then swiftly continued before she could make the connection to what he was thinking. “HG loves you. There was all sorts of weird vibey wrongness when she was with him, but you two are double-rainbows all the way. Unicorns forever. So, whatever brought him here has nothing to do with them in a couply way.” His air-quotes hung for a moment between them before falling plaintively to his sides.

Barely mollified, but conceding that her friend had a point, Myka poked a finger in the centre of his chest and pushed until he moved out of her way. She let herself into the house and stalked with determination towards the living room, needing to see for herself where her lover was in relation to the man she’d once lived and shared a bed with.

HG sat in the single-seater, her hands folded in her lap, looking very serious as she tried to explain to her confused ex how her deceased daughter had returned to her. Since she wasn’t really allowed to go into detail about most of what had happened, she had to settle for generalisations and half-truths that had Nate coming up with more and more questions.

He at least seemed to be content in the knowledge that she and Myka were raising her daughter together, and despite the odd circumstances, they were a happy family that was capable of caring for his own precious child for a week.

Hearing the commotion outside felt like a blessing until the door opened and suddenly Myka was stood in the doorway, her death glare centred on Nate for a moment before she visibly pulled herself together and fled upstairs.

Helena barely had time to stand from her chair and step into the hall before long legs were disappearing round the top of the stairs. “Pete?” She looked desperately towards the sheepish agent, worrying over her lover’s bizarre behaviour. She had expected Myka to be irked with the idea of Nate in their home, but this over the top display of emotion had taken her completely by surprise. “What happened? Is she ok?” Her imagination began to get the better of her as she considered the reasons for Myka’s intense reaction.

Pete held his hands out in supplication. “She’ll be fine HG, but I think you should give her a few minutes alone.” He glanced at his friend’s guest and shrugged. “I guess this just takes the trophy for ‘worst timing ever’.”

Helena made her apologies to Nate, assuring him that there was still no problem with Adelaide staying the week, before excusing herself and heading off after her girlfriend. Despite Pete’s reassurances, she still couldn’t just leave Myka alone when she was obviously so distressed.

Upstairs, the lanky agent had left a trail of clothes through their bedroom door to the en-suite entrance. Helena tapped lightly on the door, hoping that the other woman wasn’t too upset to answer. She hated this feeling of having hurt Myka, but somehow it was worse when she wasn’t entirely sure what she’d done wrong. Yes, having Nate around was bound to cause tension, but she had the impression that her lover’s mood stemmed from earlier in the day; namely, from the Warehouse. That thought scared her more than anything.

“Myka, love?” She tested the handle and wasn’t surprised to find it locked. “Is everything alright?” _What an absolutely idiotic question Wells. Of course she’s not alright. You wouldn’t be talking to a door if she were!_ “Darling, could you open the door please?”

Agent Bering half listened to her girlfriend’s pleas, tears brimming as she stood in her underwear in front of the bathroom mirror. She began her self-inspection at her breasts, now noticing the slight tightness of her bra that hadn’t been there a couple of weeks ago and the soreness of her nipples. She touched them experimentally and winced. It didn’t hurt per-se but the fact that they were extra-sensitive put another check in the ‘positive’ column. Her hands travelled down her torso to her stomach and there they stayed. Having been pre-med at one time, she knew logically that there would be no noticeable difference yet, but she stared hard at her midsection anyway, turning this way and that, trying to envision her body expanding to make room for another life form.

_ Oh God,  _ she thought despairingly. _How do I handle this?_

Babies were loud and smelly and needed bucket loads of attention and energy. It would be nothing like having Christina, who understood when her parents needed a few moments to themselves, or had to be patient and resilient when things weren’t quite going her way. The occasional tantrum was short lived and (if she were to believe popular TV) bland in comparison to children of a similar age. A baby would demand and scream until its needs were met.

_ Oh God,  _ her inner voice repeated as she lowered her head to the cool porcelain of the sink.

On top of these turbulent thoughts, she now had to deal with Nate. On a normal day, she could have tolerated his presence and even managed to be polite and understanding, but not today. Just recognising his car had set her stomach churning and seeing him in the flesh brought on an irrational impulse to punch him in the face. Any reminder of his arms around _her_ Helena, of his body being anywhere near the Victorian inventor’s, tore at her civility and demanded that she _end_ him.

HG’s continued efforts to get her attention finally registered and she decided to take pity on the other woman. It wasn’t Helena’s fault that they were in this mess, but the unsuspecting woman was going to be thrown into the deep end soon enough, and Myka didn’t want to torture her unnecessarily.

Opening the en-suite door, she came face to face with her lover and, through the spark of interest that ignited at her half-naked appearance; the concern on those classically beautiful features drove Myka into supplicating arms.

They held one another for long minutes; HG’s hug bringing relief and giving comfort, while Myka’s offered an apology and asked for patience.

Helena’s hands stroked calming circles on the other woman’s lower back as she pulled away slightly to look into green depths. “I’m sorry for the surprise visitor, love. He only called about an hour ago, wanting to know if Adelaide could stay while he went out of town for a conference.”

Myka bit her lip, not wanting to say anything she would regret. “I don’t mind Adelaide being here. I know you miss her sometimes,” she told her partner honestly. With a long breath, she leant into her lover’s body again and, inhaling her lover’s scent, she hesitated for a few seconds before continuing, “Can you please make _him_ leave though?” she asked, her voice apologetic even as it was entirely serious.

HG frowned, but didn’t question the out of character request. Instead, she nodded and placed a parting kiss on warm lips. “You will explain yourself when I return?” She asked, though in a tone that was more of a gentle command than a question.

“Adelaide is staying?” HG nodded slowly. “Then I will, when the girls are in bed.” She pulled the inventor into a long, loving kiss, pouring her heart and soul into every caress of her lips against Helena’s and hoping against hope that what she had to confess would not ruin the life they’d built for themselves.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Settling the girls took a lot longer than either Myka or Helena had anticipated. Even an hour after their agreed bedtime, chatting and giggling continued to drift through the house to wherever the adults had decided to situate themselves.

After another visit to Christina’s room, where both eight-year-olds were fighting sleep, Helena sighed and flopped down on her side of the bed next to Myka.

The remainder of the day (after Helena and Adelaide had bidden Nate farewell), had been spent listening to the instant camaraderie that fell between the youngest females in the house. Christina’s hand only left Adelaide’s when she was not pulling the other girl from one room to another and the two of them were thick as thieves while they plotted and schemed lord knows what. Myka found several house-hold jobs to keep her occupied and away from Helena’s penetrating stare, leaving her lover to reluctantly busy herself elsewhere.

Patience was something HG found she had in abundance these days, at least for her lover and child she did. Sitting in her study, the inventor gazed round at the newspaper clippings on the wall and the framed photos of her family. Myka had insisted that if she had to spend time researching devastating reports and dire consequences of artefact misuse, then she should be surrounded by reminders of why they still fought for the continuation of humanity.

Articles illustrating spectacular feats of heroism and community sprit stared down at her from all sides. Stories of people succeeding against all the odds or fighting against oppressors and gaining ground had been placed strategically to give her hope that the utopia she’d once naively dreamt of could someday be realised.

Interspersed amongst these were smiling, laughing, happy faces of those people who filled her day-to-day life with joy. Christina and Myka tumbled through a pile of autumnal leaves. Pete held Christina next to their largest indoor fort to date. Christina sat next to grandpa-Artie as they played a simple lullaby together on his piano. She and Claudia sat studiously watching Christina as she described her latest ideas for the tree-house. The whole gang together at Thanksgiving, playing a stylised version of charades. Finally, she, Myka and Christina; the young girl between the adults as they walked home along their route to the local park; the sun bringing out the slight coppery tinge to Myka’s hair, rich reds and oranges decorating the trees and their daughter skipping freely through leaves as the pair of besotted adults gazed lovingly at one another.

Glancing at Myka’s image in particular, HG wondered at her partner’s confusing behaviour. How many times was the young woman going to return from the Warehouse with the adverse effects of an artefact still lingering? How long before the outcome was something much more serious? How long could the field agent avoid the odds that seemed to befall every other agent in the history of artefact retrieval? How long before she didn’t return at all?

These questions niggled at the inventor daily. More so on the days that her lover left for that wretched place or took off round the globe to chase someone’s possessed pen or once favoured flute. Someday their lives would be turned upside down by the Warehouse and every time Myka came home in one of these secretive moods, she wondered if that day had come.

Now they were at last alone and the excited murmurs had ceased, giving the couple a chance to finally confront present issues. Having successfully avoided interrogation thus far, Myka pottered nervously around the room, continuing her mindless task of rearranging the space around them, hoping that if she wasted enough time then her problem would miraculously sort itself out.

No such miracle would come.

Helena eyed her lover with a keen gaze, noting the obvious make-work tasks that kept her occupied. “Myka,” she intoned pleadingly.

Shoulders sagging in defeat, the taller agent stopped re-organising the ornaments on the chest of drawers to turn and face her girlfriend. The day’s activities had not brought her any more acceptance for what her current state of being might be, but the mundane tasks had given her enough time for her to approach the possibility with more logic and less emotion.

She took HG by the hands and pulled her onto the bed, angling her body so that they were almost head on. “We think we may have discovered the reason for yours and Pete’s mood swings.” Helena’s expression became intrigued even as her concern for Myka’s wellbeing remained. She gestured for the younger woman to continue. “We discovered that Pete’s anxiety isn’t triggered by me at all, but by Lila.”

“Has she been in contact with an artefact?”

“Not directly.” The American conceded. “But then, neither have you. At least, not recently.”

HG ran her hands through her hair, pulling back raven locks and sighing through her fatigue. “Darling, I’m sure the details are going to be extraordinarily fascinating, but would you mind terribly getting to the point?”

Myka smiled fondly at the inventor’s propensity to use more than double the words needed to say something as simple as ‘get on with it’. She took a deep breath and looked her lover directly in the eye. “There’s a good chance that Lila and I might be pregnant.”

She felt Helena’s hands in her own lose their grip and saw her expression freeze. She looked down at their entwined digits and swallowed passed the lump in her throat. Hands playing with long slender fingers, Myka busied herself until she dared look up again. When she did, a single word fell from her girlfriend’s lips.

“Pete,” the Victorian muttered the name like a curse. She had quickly overcome the fact that he’d kissed her girlfriend while under the influence of an artefact, but to have impregnated _her_ mate? A red haze filled her vision. That thought was intolerable. “Where is he?” She demanded coolly.

Myka frowned as she looked into her lover’s eyes again and saw a dark hole expanding in their depths; a calculating darkness that she had not seen since Yellowstone. “Helena?” She cupped the inventor’s face between her warm palms, hoping to draw her attention away from whatever dangerous scheme she was imagining. She tried saying her name again but it was like the thought of her carrying Pete’s child had driven her into a trance. Though still not certain of her conclusion, she said the only thing she could think of to get through to her lover. “It’s not Pete’s baby Helena... It’s yours.” She watched with fascinated relief as the icy bleakness receded and warm chocolate returned to stare back at her with loving confusion. Boy did she really hope she was right about this!

“Mine? That’s absurd... H... how is that possible?” HG asked tentatively.

Smiling tightly, Myka took the inventor’s hands in her own again. “Pete and I both got whammied together, but you’re the one I came home to that day to...” she blushed at the thought of what had happened in their bathroom, easily recalling the state she’d woken to find Helena in. “Make love with. Plus, these mood swings you’ve been having are directly related to my proximity. It makes sense.” Helena’s gaze met hers with a sardonic edge. “Ok, it makes no sense,” she agreed to the unspoken comment. “But it makes no sense in the same way that everything else in the Warehouse makes no sense.” She went on to explain how Pete’s recent problems were linked to Lila and how the villagers in Sri Lanka were exhibiting similar behavioural patterns.

Once she’d said all she could say on the subject, Myka released her hold on her girlfriend and pulled her fingers through wild, towel-dried curls, giving Helena a chance to see just how deeply this news was affecting her lover. She immediately felt ashamed for how she’d reacted to the news even though she hadn’t really been in control of her own body or thoughts. Recalling the fiery look in those green eyes when she walked into the living room to find Nate there, Helena settled both hands on Myka’s arms and squeezed comfortingly.

She remembered quite clearly, the panic she’s felt when she’d finally realised that she was pregnant with Christina. Granted, she had been a young, unmarried, well born Victorian woman, facing being ostracised by everyone she knew, but since people’s opinions had never really mattered to her, it was mostly the idea of being responsible for another life that had put the fear of God into her.

A year spent overseas, to return with ‘her maid’s poor, orphaned child’ had fooled no one, but by that time she had fallen in love with the tiny girl in her arms and finally consented to live with her brother so she could keep her precious bundle.

“Myka?” she gently prodded, making circles with her thumbs over tense biceps in an effort to comfort her partner. Akin to a deer in the headlights, the curly-haired agent looked up, her fear and uncertainty brimming over with the tears that fell to her cheeks. Instinctively, Helena pulled the emotional woman towards her and gathered her up in strong, protective arms. “It’s ok, love. We’re ok. It’ll all be fine.”

Myka’s arms tightened around Helena’s waist as she sobbed into one of HG’s more conservative nightshirts. Long minutes passed before her body relaxed enough for her vocal chords to function properly again. “What am I going to do with a baby?” she croaked through her lessening tears. “I don’t know anything practical about caring for an infant.” She felt and heard her girlfriend chuckle and pulled back to stare at her indignantly.

HG schooled her features into a serious mask again and reached up to dry fallen tears. “I’m sorry, darling. I don’t mean to laugh at you. I just remember how terrified I felt when I was expecting Christina. I don’t imagine there are many women who don’t feel at least a little overwhelmed by the knowledge that they’re suddenly responsible for bringing another life into the world.”

Nodding slowly, Myka wiped at her tears and took a deep breath, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts again. HG waited patiently for her. “I never really pictured myself having a baby. I was quite happy to be an aunt and I love Christina immensely, but this... I don’t know where to begin to figure out how this fits into my life.”

“Firstly Myka, you are not alone. If you chose to have a baby, then we will be having a baby. We’re a family and our children are just as much my responsibility as yours. Never forget that.” She placed a series of soft kisses on the brunette’s jaw, letting the last one linger on her lips. “Secondly, before we start questioning whether we want another child in our lives, do you think it might be worth confirming that you are in fact expecting? Not that I don’t trust your instincts darling, but having confirmation will give us a place to start. I hear there’s a test you can take at home now?”

Myka nodded absently. “Most places stock at least one brand.”

“Then, when you are ready, we will find out for certain and proceed from there.” She watched her girlfriend nod again and took a nervous hand in her own. The ever in control agent appeared completely lost and she knew that Myka would benefit from having a plan to follow. “As there’s not much that can be done about it right now, I think that a good night’s sleep is in order.”

HG directed Myka towards the bed, chuckling when the zombified woman stopped and declared that she needed to go pee.

In the bathroom, sitting on the toilet with her head in her hands, the secret service agent took several long, slow breaths and considered her lover’s words. It was difficult not to feel alone in this when it was _her_ body that had been invaded, but Helena’s words had helped to soothe that underlying fear. Knowing that there was an agenda to follow in the morning and that she would have better confirmation within the next twenty-four hours, this gave her some peace. Her mind was focussed on that task now instead of flitting randomly from one worry to the next. One task, one focus, one worry; it was much more manageable. Other thoughts continued to loom in the background but they simmered quietly out of the way and allowed her to resume her regular night-time routine.

Back in the bedroom, propping herself up against the headboard, Helena watched the bathroom door and let her thoughts drift.

There was no doubt in her mind that something alien had taken hold of her and was guiding her reactions to specific things regarding Myka. Was her anxiety really because her lover was carrying her child, as Myka had suggested, or could it be the complete opposite? Was this possession of her ‘lizard brain’ reacting to a foreign presence within her mate? Did it really make a difference if that was the case? Any child of Myka’s would be hers too, no matter who sired it, and she would love it all the same. At least she hoped that would be the case; hoped that the effects of Inanna’s energy would dissipate soon and she would be given the chance to have her mind to herself again.

Helena insisted that Myka be the ‘little spoon’, as she’d heard it called, and made sure to wrap her lover up as closely and comfortably as possible. The days ahead were sure to be long and full of spiralling emotions as they dealt with this new challenge and tried to entertain two active and giggly girls.

Exhaustion eventually pulled Myka into a restful sleep, devoid of the unsettling dreams that had plagued her of late. Helena however, stayed awake for a while longer, her mind unable to shut off.

Tentatively, she moved her hand from a hip to a currently toned stomach, imagining the life that might be inside and reminiscing about those first few weeks with Christina. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but it felt right. Though they had no actual confirmation and the logical side of her brain wanted her to hold off on any kind of celebration, her instinct was that of an expectant parent.

What would it be like to see Myka blossoming week after week with their child? To see modern technology in action as they heard the heartbeat for the first time? To be recognised as an equal partner and parent-to-be with the woman of her dreams? To see Christina hold her newborn sibling and coo to him or her in the way she did with her dolls?

As her daydreams stretched further and further into the future and she began to picture this sexless child more clearly, HG knew that she was beyond taken with the idea. Myka was undoubtedly terrified by the thought, but she suspected that most of that fear was due to the suddenness of this discovery and her inexperience. She knew she would have to be careful with her enthusiasm and be patient with her girlfriend, but there was no doubt in her mind that Myka would just as wonderful with a baby as she was with Christina, once she’d settled into the role.

An image of the Warehouse crossed her thoughts unbidden and an unexpected twinge of fondness tickled the back of her mind, bringing with it the hint of a memory of apples. Some days, she was glad of the Warehouse’s presence in her life.

* * * * *

_ Adelaide hunched behind her new friend outside Helena and Myka’s bedroom door. They’d been playing happily for an hour in the young Brit’s room and now they were hungry, but the adults had yet to make a noise. “Chrissie, I don’t think we should go in yet.” _

_ Christina’s hand hovered over the door handle, her expression one of nonchalant determination. “Why ever not? We are hungry aren’t we?” _

_ “Yes, but they must be tired if they’re still sleeping, and we did keep talking a bit too late.” Blue eyes shone with uncertainty. She remembered a time when Helena had shared her father’s bed and mornings like this were reserved for her alone. Helena, or Emily as she was, had never minded her quiet morning interruptions; in fact, she seemed to welcome them, but her father was gently adamant that morning wake-ups between adults were private affairs. She had no idea how Myka felt on the subject and wasn’t sure that this was how she wanted to find out. _

_ Frowning, the wavy-haired girl hesitated and turned to face her guest. “Addy, it is past eight o’clock. They never sleep in this late unless Mama’s been away. She should be getting up for work; we will be doing them a service by waking them now.” _

_ Relaxing a little but recalling the agent’s behaviour from the day before, Adelaide continued to protest. “Maybe she decided not to go today; she didn’t look very well when we were waving to my Dad yesterday. I’m sure we could find something to eat. Cereal?” She suggested hopefully. _

_ Christina shook her head. “Mummy isn’t fond of cereal and Mama tries not to eat much sugar. We have porridge, but I’m not supposed to cook without an adult around. Besides, Mummy promised us omelettes.” If there was one thing her mother never reneged on, it was a promise. _

_ Using her trump card, the young American asked timidly, “But what if they’re... y’know... kissing and... other stuff?” _

_ “Other stuff?”Christina frowned, thinking of the times she’d walked in on her parents kissing and cuddling.  Why did Mama always blush so much? _

_ “Yeah, y’know. When they go to bed and take their clothes off.” Adelaide offered this piece of information cautiously, never having seen any evidence of it happening, but having heard snippets of conversation on the playground from some of the eleven year olds. In this case, she deferred to their wisdom. _

_ Frown deepening, the brown-eyed child canted her head to one side. “Don’t they wear night clothes?” _

_ Shrugging now and feeling more confident in light of her new friend’s lack of knowledge on the subject, the young American began to explain. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. I heard a sixth-grade boy telling his friends that grown-ups take their clothes off when they want to kiss and make a baby.” _

Helena lay curled snugly into her girlfriend’s side, letting the quiet chat of companionable voices wash over her, smiling to herself as she caught snippets of the conversation taking place behind the closed bedroom door. Myka was still sound asleep and she didn’t want to wake the young woman yet. Recent weeks had been hard on her, physically and psychologically, and she needed her rest.

Her own sleep had been light and full of images of swollen bellies, both hers and Myka’s, and cooing relatives. At one point, during a rendition of Christina’s delivery, Jeanie and Warren Bering had appeared at her bedside, dressed in typical Victorian fashions, to verbalise their continued disapproval.

Despite the rather odd and mixed dreams, she felt rested and was content to lie and listen to the comical exchange occurring on the far side of the door.

However, the moment she caught the change of direction in the girls’ discussion, she was immediately wide awake and extracting herself from the covers as quickly and carefully as possible. At the word ‘baby’ she was tugging her pyjama pants into place. Rushing to the door, she yanked it open, taking the children by surprise and making them both yelp with fright.

Recognising the cherished adult, startled cries turned to squeals of delight and amusement as they took in Helena’s dishevelled state and ran off down the stairs, their laughter echoing throughout the house. HG swivelled slowly back to the occupant in her bed and she shrugged an apology as sleepy green eyes glared at her playfully.

“You think you’d like another one of those?” Myka asked seconds before she dragged the covers back over her head.

The inventor smiled to herself as she turned from Myka to follow the sound of more giggling and chatter from bellow. Despite all the associated fears and uncertainties, she knew her answer.

“Yes,” she whispered softly.

* * * * *

Long after the girls were fed and busy researching for Adelaide’s history project on the American Civil War, Helena and Myka sequestered themselves in their bedroom as they waited for the results of three separate store-bought pregnancy tests. Artie had called to suggest that Myka make an appointment with Dr.Calder, which she had already done the night before, but she and her girlfriend needed a quicker confirmation of their hopes/fears.

Myka paced. They only had to wait a few minutes and by Helena’s calculations, their results should have been ready two minutes ago, but her lover paced and bit her lip and the inventor had to curb her enthusiasm. When it looked like the brunette would wear a hole in the floor however, HG stood and pulled her lover into a loose embrace.

“Myka, you’re working yourself up again. Love, what’s troubling you really?” She managed to coax her girlfriend over to the bed. “I don’t know how to help you. You’re already a wonderful mother; are you worried about being pregnant... Not being pregnant?”

Myka let her head drop into the Brit’s lap and sighed heavily. Her thoughts were in turmoil; she didn’t have a clear answer to HG’s question. She had questions of her own though. “What if I am? What will we do?”

Helena hesitated, thinking that she might need to tread carefully with her answers. “Well, let’s look at all the available options. I suppose the first decision we’ll have to make is if you will bring it to term or... if we would consider termination.” She bit her lip, not wanting to colour their options with her opinion yet. “I you brought it to term, would we want to raise the child or look into adoption?”

“What would you choose?”

HG looked towards the en-suite and ran a hand through her hair. “Darling, would you not rather have this conversation after we already know the results?”

“I’m sorry, Helena. I just need to hear all the options now, before I find out one way or another.” She needed to hear her partner’s honest opinion. Somewhere amidst the fear, there was a tugging instinct, a desire to love and protect. _But I need to know I’m not doing this alone._

A hand rose to run tersely through raven hair. “Very well, love. Any child of yours I would of course keep and cherish for the precious gift it is. I would lobby vehemently against termination or adoption.”

Myka smiled from her position. She loved that her girlfriend wasn’t afraid to give her honest opinion. It was refreshing. Sam had often told her what she wanted to hear and though she was no Steve Jinks, she had seen his lies too often. It wasn’t always a mercy to deliver falsehoods to spare feelings. “Thank you. I don’t think I could choose termination or adoption either. If we’re pregnant then we’ll simply have to make room for an addition to the family.” She felt the tension in her chest ebb and flow as she gazed at the chain around her girlfriend’s neck for several seconds more before asking her next question. “What if I’m not?”

Helena contemplated the meaning behind the inquiry, her brow furrowing in thought. “You mean, do we continue as we have been or do we discuss the possibility of more children?” Myka nodded thoughtfully from her reclined position. “Well darling, there’s no harm in discussing the possibility. Do I take it that you are not as opposed to the idea as you first appeared?”

“I’m opposed to the idea of not being given the option,” Myka insisted. “Of _us_ not being given the choice and the time to discuss it and prepare properly.”

“Ah, I understand,” Helena chuckled but shook her head at the same time. “That’s very noble of you Myka, and I agree in principal, but women the world over, throughout history, have lain with lovers and found themselves unexpectedly with child. They have born those children and raised them with love, just as those who sought the mantel of motherhood did. We are not all blessed with the skills to be exceptional parents, and sadly there are those who should never be given the chance to have guardianship over a young life, but then there are those like you, who possess such radiant souls that any child would be doubly blessed to have them in their lives.

“What I’m trying to say darling, in this rather long-winded fashion, is that, no matter how or when children come into our lives, we will love them and care for them equally, and to the best of our abilities. We may not always succeed in making the right choices, but we have each other and we will work together to see that we make it through.”

Arms pushing her into a seated position, Myka stared in awe at her partner. She had never seen only the scheming villain. Even when she’d felt like the tortured woman had ripped her heart from her chest, she had maintained the opinion that there was good in her, but not until this moment had she seen the true brilliance of her heart and soul. She was a passionate and headstrong woman in many ways and guilty of being short-sighted and selfish on occasion, but at her best, she eclipsed the brightest star in Myka’s eyes and brought meaning to her life that, never in her wildest dreams, could she have imagined.

Myka’s lips met Helena’s with fevered force and they tumbled back onto the bed. Several minutes ticked by then as they lost themselves in each other, tasting and teasing with equal focus. The chiming of the hall clock eventually penetrated their purple haze, bringing them to their senses, and Helena found herself gazing up into bright, joy-filled orbs. _That’s more like it,_ she thought with relish.

Ducking down for one last lingering kiss, Myka whispered a reverent ‘I love you’ as she pulled back and stood, tugging HG to her feet at the same time.

“Myka, you are a jewel that I will treasure always. I love you with all my heart, never doubt that.” Holding her green-eyed beauty’s smiling face between her palms, the inventor dared a glance towards the bathroom. “Is it time?”

The young woman exhaled slowly and nodded. “Let’s do it.”

Entering hand in hand, they looked down upon the three similar white sticks and tried to recall the instructions. Each reaching for a test, they remained silent for several seconds, eyes widening and butterflies churning with the dawning realisation of what the results meant for their future.

Myka checked the second and third ones to be sure and when they were all the same, she beamed, the tension that had lingered in her body finally leaving her.

 


	15. Chapter 15

With Myka and Christina out grocery shopping, HG sat on the couch with Adelaide, enjoying some one-to-one time. The week had very nearly elapsed and neither knew when they would have a chance to share a moment like this again.

Despite loving her time playing with Christina and developing an unexpected sisterly bond with her fellow eight-year-old, Adelaide had many lingering questions for her father’s ex-girlfriend, and was collecting more every day. Their regular contact via e-mail only brought so much comfort and there were certain things that they just couldn’t discuss through such a cold method of communication.

In the quiet of the living room, Adelaide reclined against the adult’s side. They were looking through the many curiosities that she and Christina had collected during their ‘Arctic exploration’ of the back garden, but there were more serious concerns that the young girl wanted to address before the rest of the household returned. “Helena, why did you and my dad break up? Was it because you love Myka or because you had to lie about who you are?”

The inventor slowly closed the ‘box of treasures’ that the children had put together and placed it next to them on the couch. She looked down into curious and confused blue and pulled the girl closer, offering comfort and a silent apology. “It was a little of both,” she admitted.

“Why did you come to live with us if you wanted to live with Myka?”

“That’s a very good question.” Helena considered for a moment how much she should tell the girl; she was very bright and wouldn’t be satisfied with platitudes. “Did your father tell you anything about what happened to Christina?”

Adelaide frowned, not expecting the adult to have addressed this enigma so soon. “He said you told him that she died.”

HG nodded. “It is difficult to believe, but yes, she did. That she is alive now is quite simply a miracle. There are things in this world my dear, which exist apart from the convention that people expect. I am not at liberty to divulge any specifics, but suffice it to say that these things are wholly unexplainable. Perhaps I will be forced to tell her some day, but for now, Christina is unaware of any period of non-existence and I’d like to keep it that way.” She looked into the girl’s innocent eyes again and felt horrid for placing such a heavy burden on her shoulders.

“I won’t tell,” Adelaide insisted and HG found that she trusted her young ward.

“When I met your father, I was in turmoil. Christina was no longer with me and I had taken my anger out on the world, and the people... the person, who mattered most to me.” She shifted slightly and ran her fingers through soft, shiny-brown hair. “After a period of attempted redemption, I was asked by an acquaintance... an old colleague, to hide something dangerous. I do not believe she meant that I should stay hidden, but I saw it as the perfect opportunity to flee, so I did.”

“You ran away? But you’re not afraid of anything.” Adelaide gazed up at the inventor as if she had just been told that the sky was green.

HG chuckled. “I am afraid of a great many things my love. Bravery is action in the face of that fear and I have not always been particularly brave. I was not brave when I hid from Myka... I feared her most of all.”

“Why? Agent Bering isn’t scary.”

“No she’s not, but as I’m sure you know darling, when you lose someone you love, it hurts. I denied my feelings for Myka because I knew that the pain of losing her would drive me to madness again and I didn’t want to experience what I felt when I lost Christina.” _Am I being too open with this subject?_ HG wondered silently. _Is she overly young to be discussing death to such depths?_

“So...”

Shaking off her doubts, Helena regarded the simple acceptance in those vibrant blue eyes and considered the likelihood that some children were mature beyond their years. As a bright child herself once, half-truths had only tormented her and left her longing for clarity. She couldn’t do that to Adelaide. “Your father, yes. When you deny what your heart wants it can leave you feeling empty. I searched for ways to keep myself occupied and one day, during a cooking class, met a man who was kind and handsome, who knew my pain and was trying to raise a brilliant young girl all by himself.” Helena caught Adelaide’s eye again, wanting the girl to see her sincerity and not think that she had manipulated her way into their lives. “Here was a man without a partner and a child without a mother, and I was a woman without either. I thought that if I could just love them and care for them, then my pain would fade and I would stop feeling empty, and perhaps I could heal their pain too. Some noble intention, but not very well thought out.”

“Why not? I loved having you with us,” Adelaide stressed her feelings, a lingering regret colouring her tone.

Helena kissed the top of the child’s head and hugged her closer. “And I loved every moment spent with you my dear.”

“But you didn’t love my dad,” the girl finished the adult’s thought. “Because you still loved Myka.”

Feeling shame pricking the backs of her eyes, HG closed her eyes briefly to collect herself. “There is a very special place for you in my heart, as I’m certain there is a place for me in yours. No one could ever replace the love you keep for your mother, just as no one could replace mine for Christina. The heart is a curious thing; it has an infinite capacity to love without ever needing to be any larger.”

“Like the TARDIS,” Adelaide brightened, giving HG a chance to laugh through the tension in her body.

“Yes, like the TARDIS.” Helena chuckled slightly, remembering her introduction to The Doctor. “Except, when it comes to two adults who fall in love and want to share their lives together, it’s usually a case of only one at a time. Your father loved your mother and while she was alive, no one else would do. He may find love with another someday and if he does then they will be the only one. In short Adelaide, I couldn’t love your father the way I had intended to; the way he deserved to be loved, because my heart belonged to another and I was reminded very sharply of that when Myka and Pete turned up to solve their case.”

There was a period of silence, where Helena held her breath and wished not to be condemned by the young girl beside her. She had enough sins on her head. This one was committed with ignorance and, she hoped, was one that she could make some amends for.

Adelaide sat up slowly and turned in the protective embrace to look up at her idol. She understood Helena’s reasons as she explained them, even as she couldn’t empathise. She knew what she had seen from her point of view; alone, Helena was always heartbroken and her eyes were haunted when she was thoughtful. “You were sad when they left and Dad was cross because he didn’t know who you really were.”

Barely noticeable, HG inclined her head. “I wanted to stay for you, but your father deserved better. I care about him and I want him to be happy; I can’t be the one to make him happy.”

“You left so he could meet someone else,” the girl concluded quickly.

“You really are a very intelligent girl.” She wanted to make her next point very clear. The blue-eyed child should never have to feel responsible for the mistakes of her elders. “Do you understand why I had to leave then? It wasn’t because of anything you or he did wrong. I don’t know what he has said to you but, though I didn’t mean to, I hurt him and he has a right to still feel cross about that.” 

Smiling a little, Adelaide resumed her place in her surrogate mother’s arms. “He’s ok now. He gets grumpy because you’re not allowed to tell him things. He thinks that you might work for MI6, like a female James Bond.”

HG frowned. She’d heard that name, knew it came from a series of books and of course, knew what MI6 was, but wasn’t sure that she really understood the reference. She wasn’t sure how much of it to be complimented or offended by. “Ok, well let’s keep our fingers crossed that your father may yet meet someone who deserves him. And of course, someone who deserves you too.”

“I don’t want to have to stop seeing you, Helena,” the girl confessed longingly.

HG pulled back once more too look down on the child. “We are friends, are we not?”

“Yes,” Adelaide answered cautiously, wondering where this was going.

“Well as long as your father approves, (and after this week, I don’t see why he shouldn’t), you can come and visit more often. I know that Christina would be delighted to have you close by. She doesn’t go to school yet, so she hasn’t really had chance to make friends her own age.”

“She should go to Scouts. They do lots of exploring; it’s really fun!”

Feeling the cold edge of panic cutting through that thought, Helena changed the subject smoothly to Christmas and the school holidays. Chatting in a relaxed manner, the pair felt accomplished by the time eager footsteps were heard running along the path outside and Christina’s whirlwind presence invaded the calm of the house.

An icy blast followed the returned eight-year-old and Helena watched her daughter in fascination as she twirled gracefully into the living room. She smiled at the melting snowflakes in her hair and redness of her cheeks, the extra colour contrasting sharply with her alabaster complexion.

Seconds after Christina had thrown herself into HG’s lap, the sound of feet stomping on the welcome mat and an exasperated voice drifted into their cosy sanctum.

“Christina Josephine Wells! Get back here and pick up your boots young lady!”

“Oops,” Contrition and guilt warred for dominance on the youngest time-traveller’s face as she scrambled from her comfy seat and fled the room as quickly as she’d entered.

Helena shared an amused glance with her young guest and suggested that they see if help was needed with unpacking the shopping.

Walking into the kitchen, they found the task already underway, Myka tackling the higher shelves while her helper juggled fruit into a bowl.

Ever courteous, Adelaide began passing pears to her peer. “Do you want any help, Myka?”

The lanky agent smiled down at the temporary addition to their household and shook her head. “I’m fine with the groceries; Helena will help. You could entertain this fire-cracker for a while though,” she added with an indulgent smile directed at her daughter.

Christina trotted away from the counter and grasped Adelaide’s hand. “Smashing! Addy was telling me all about the planets last night and we agreed that we would try and make a scaled down replica of the solar system before her father returns.”

“We’re not sure if we’ll find anything big enough to be the sun though,” Adelaide cautioned, blushing slightly at the sudden interest of both adults. The idea to make a model had been a throw-away comment made under the blanket of drowsiness. She hadn’t anticipated Christina’s unquenchable enthusiasm. Her new friend had grand ideas and didn’t see the need to dilute them much.

“If it’s too small, we won’t be able to see most of the planets adequately. Larger would be better, though not very practical. We require a sphere at least a meter in diameter.” Christina’s expression illustrated her complete immersion in the planning stage of their latest project.

HG had no doubt that her daughter would attempt to fill the Warehouse with her creations if it was offered.

Following the wavy-haired girl’s lead, Adelaide nodded. “Even then, Pluto won’t be much bigger than a grain of sand. It has been downgraded though, so we can leave it out if we really want to.”

HG frowned in thought as she stocked the fridge, brining short-date items closer to the front. “Perhaps you would find the task easier to manage if you make the sun two-dimensional. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch then to increase the size of your planets three or four times. Are you sure you’ll manage to complete this project in a day? You do remember that Adelaide is going home tomorrow?”

Christina’s face fell. “I remember. Must she go?” She asked plaintively.

“Yes Sweetheart,” Myka answered from the sink, where she’d begun to prepare vegetables for their dinner. “I know you’ve both enjoyed your time together, but I’m sure Adelaide misses her dad and her own home.” She watched the children glance at each other and the blue-eyed girl nod apologetically.

“Very well,” the aspiring architect conceded, her demeanour despondent for a moment before she brightened again. “Then we must make the most of our time remaining. Come along Addy; to the bat-cave!” she cried, imitating her favourite computer geek and making her mother shake her head as she dragged her friend off to her room.

Laughing at Helena’s chafed expression, Myka finished scrubbing her potatoes and sat them on a chopping board ready to be peeled. She turned to clear the debris from the sink and soon found two arms sliding lovingly around her waist. Warm breath blew across the back of her neck in a gentle exhale as HG’s head rested against her own. She leant back into the embrace for a moment, enjoying the relative peace now that the girls were ensconced in Christina’s room.  After a quiet few moments, she rinsed and dried her hands and then turned in lithe arms to face her girlfriend.

“How did the talk go?” She asked the inventor once they were eye to eye. “She seemed happy enough.”

Arms wrapping securely around her girlfriend again, Helena nodded. “I sincerely hope I didn’t overdo it with the details, though she’s rather more mature than the average child I’ve encountered in this century. I believe she was satisfied with the result of our discussion though.”

“Good,” Myka leant in for a short, sweet kiss. “I know you’ve been agonising over this for days... Amongst other things.”

HG glanced down automatically and smiled. “Have I told you today that you are beautiful beyond words and sense? I know that it shouldn’t matter and I meant what I said about loving any child we have equally, but there is something raw and wanting knowing that it is my seed growing in there.” She placed a possessive hand over Myka’s abdomen and leaned in to kiss the American smugly.

Myka felt her body react to the open desire in those dark, chocolate orbs and sank into the feel of Helena’s lips on her own. Her hands travelled up to cup the inventor’s face and she pulled back just enough so their mouths were barely touching. “Mmm, if I didn’t find your enjoyment of our situation such a turn on, I would be forced to tell you that you sound very butch when you say things like that.”

Hands slipping unbidden beneath the back of her lover’s shirt, Helena felt her body push ever closer to Myka’s, eliciting wanton groans from both of them. “Then I would be duty bound to inform you that I am helpless in your presence and beg your forgiveness for any offence. As it is, with your enjoyment negating the need to reprimand me for my masculistic opinion, I anticipate tending to your needs and desires the moment we can be assured of privacy.” HG relaxed deliberately and pulled back to a more respectable distance, a pout forming while she continued to embrace her girlfriend. “This week, I’ve had a stronger urge than ever to devour you and suddenly find that I have a fraction of the opportunity. It is most unfair.”

While stroking a lock of raven hair behind a delicate ear, Myka smiled indulgently. “I wouldn’t have thought it when I first discovered this,” she placed both hands on her stomach and looked dreamily at it. “And then finding Nate here,” she left the thought open and shot a raised eyebrow at the Victorian, though there was no real malice in it now. “But this has been a very good week. I don’t know when I have ever been this happy. You have made this huge change so much easier to bear. I don’t feel half so terrified when I remember that you will be there with me, every step of the way.” Bringing her mouth down on Helena’s again, Myka kissed her tenderly, lovingly, with the promise of unending devotion.

“Every step, my darling. I promise.”

They stayed entwined for several minutes, basking in one another’s warm proximity before, with unspoken agreement, they parted and returned to preparing dinner, chatting as they worked seamlessly together.

Glancing across the kitchen towards her girlfriend, HG remembered the contents of their grocery bags. “I notice that you bought an exorbitant amount of cheese twists,” she commented cautiously from her side of the counter, where she stood slicing chicken into strips.

“You did tell me to listen to my cravings,” Myka reminded her lover over her shoulder.

Helena paused in her task to stare incredulously at the back of a curly-haired head. “Twelve boxes? Do you think you’ll need to consume that much before our next visit to the market?”

“They were three for two, so technically I only bought eight,” the younger woman grinner back at the Brit.

Helena’s raised eyebrow told her that she still found the amount excessive. “Which begs the question why not buy four and have six, or six and nine?”

“Helena, they will keep, unopened, for at least six months. They may not be on offer next time we shop.”

“I still do not trust these products that remain edible for months or even years on end. Who knows what chemicals are entering our bodies, or what the long-term effects are? Do you know how many dietary conditions and autoimmune diseases there are now? They were virtually unheard of in the 1800’s.” Her girlfriend finished chopping the potatoes and moved to the centre island, leaning against it to watch Helena’s face during her diatribe. “Portly people were generally those who could afford to stock ‘white gold’. Animal fat was a large part of anyone’s diet, but no one who ate fat alone ever became so corpulent. It seems backwards to tamper so heavily with the fuel we need to function only to complain when health declines. God forbid we should eat what nature intended.”

“Then sugar isn’t a natural product?”

“Of course it is. But how many apples do you think you could eat in one sitting? The five that are in your glass of juice? Yet how many glasses of juice could you drink?” Carelessly waving her knife around, HG was oblivious to the renewed interest in Myka’s eyes. “Would all of this fruit have been available out of season? How much tampering has that plant undergone to make the fruit bigger, shinier and of a consistent shape for discerning shoppers?”

“So, you don’t want me to listen to my cravings?” Myka poked with a teasing smile.

“Can you perhaps just listen to the cravings that ask you to eat the kind of foods that logic and not just ‘conventional wisdom’ tells you to eat?” Putting down her knife, Helena leant her hands against the counter, keeping her a head higher than her girlfriend. “Like for instance, foods that aren’t pure candy and colouring and twisted into phallic lengths.”

Myka frowned for a second before rising to the same height. “You’re asking me to stop eating Twizzlers?”

Helena made a face. “Do you really enjoy them that much, love?”

Myka shrugged. “It’s my vice. If you’re willing to face the consequences of a hormone induced debate or ten, I’ll go easy on the pre-packaged foods. Will that put your mind at ease?” She nabbed a piece of sliced carrot from in front of her nodding lover and smiled as she popped it into her mouth. “So what did you crave when you were expecting Christina?”

“Clams and oysters. Before my parents shipped me off to live out my pregnancy and confinement away from critical eyes, I used to make Charles take me down to the docks early in the morning to meet the fishing boats mooring on the Thames. Freshly caught, they were marvellous.” A faraway look appeared in her eyes as she remembered those times.

Myka tried to share this picture and felt her stomach churn unpleasantly. “Just the thought of seafood makes me feel nauseated right now.”

“Sorry love.” Helena offered with genuine contrition. Trying to erase the image of fish and clams, she continued, “I craved beef and onion stew with dumplings and heaps of cabbage too. It wasn’t the same while I lived in Paris though; I soon gave up trying to make it. I never could stomach most of their delicacies, but generally, Parisian food was enjoyable.”

Sharing the mundane domestic task of preparing dinner was becoming a pleasurable past time for both women. Seeing Myka’s lips devour the occasional nibble on the side sent a jolt of arousal through Helena every time she witnessed the erotic move. Particularly since learning of Myka’s condition, the inventor really was finding it difficult to keep her hands to herself.

Helena continued to unabashedly ogle Myka as she set their meal to cook and they began to clear away the organised chaos of vegetable peelings and utensils. Moments like this made her picture that veil and carriage with more clarity and she had to physically shake herself out of one or two daydreams when she realised that her lover was gazing at her with amused curiosity.

Why was it suddenly so desirable to see Myka walking down the aisle? She had never put much stock in marriage, so why was she now so fixated on saying her vows? Marriage was an estate built for the socially conscious; those who needed a band of iron and a piece of paper to brag about their connections. Wasn’t it?

She was so sure she didn’t feel that way anymore.

* * * * *

Christina hugged her mother’s leg as she stood with her parents, waving Adelaide off at the end of her stay. She wasn’t going to cry. Uncle Charlie had always insisted that one must keep a stiff upper lip in situations such as this. When her mummy had to leave on one of her many business trips, he would take one look at her wobbling lip and watery eyes and pull her into his arms: _“Keep that stiff upper lip, darling. You wouldn’t want cook to catch you sulking now, would you? One must abide these trials with forbearance and not show weakness.”_

She missed her uncle Charlie. She sometimes wondered why he hadn’t travelled through time with them. He would have loved the future, with its fast cars and astounding motion pictures. Once, she had asked her mother whether they couldn’t return to Victorian London to retain him: _“If we travelled forward in time, surely we could travel backwards too.”_ After being told that no such feat had been managed yet, she declared that she would improve upon the time-machine until it was possible for her to move through time to any point and bring back those people she missed most.

Following that declaration had been a long and tedious lecture on the potential perils of changing the natural order of historical events, no matter how insignificant they might seem.

As Adelaide was whisked out of sight, Christina felt her energy drain from her body and she slumped back into the house. With her only friend gone, she was at a loss for what to do next. Before the young American’s visit, she had been content to enjoy her mother’s company, and her Mama’s, when she was home. Now, remembering again how it felt to spend time with another child, she wasn’t sure that adult company would help.

Turning to face her beloved parents, she looked mournfully up at them. “May I go to my room?”

Helena knelt in front of her daughter while Myka too moved instinctively closer. “Love, we can do something together if you like. Perhaps finish the rocket we were building with the Lego? It would compliment your solar system nicely.”

Christina shook her head. “No thank you Mummy. I think I would prefer to read alone, just for a little while.”

HG’s words got lost in her mouth. She wanted to make her little girl happy, but she didn’t want to push. As she continued to stall by brushing pieces of lint off Christina’s jumper, Myka gave word to what she needed to say.

“Of course you can go to your room Sweetheart. Mummy and I will come and check on you in about an hour.” The lanky brunette placed a hand on Helena’s shoulder and gently but firmly guided her away, letting Christina retreat upstairs. Seeing a touch of panic on her lover’s features, she called after the girl, “Don’t hesitate to call or come down if you need us!”

“I will, Mama!” Christina’s voice sang from her room.

Letting Myka guide her into the living room, HG sat with none of her usual poise and leant into her girlfriend. “I’m a terrible mother,” she bemoaned.

Myka wound her arms securely around the slight figure next to her and placed a kiss to her crown. “You are far from being a bad mother, and you know it,” she stated firmly.

In silent contemplation, Helena looked back on the last few months and didn’t have to count every day to know that she’d spent them playing and learning with Christina and generally doing all the bonding activities she had missed doing the first time round. The intention to take her daughter out to join in with various events and pursuits had been there, but she had yet to work up the courage to actually leave the house alone with the girl. When they did venture out, Myka was always with them.

“I’m overprotective,” the inventor continued to chastise herself.

“You’re worried; that’s natural.” The younger woman let her fingers stroke through silken locks in a soothing manner. “Perhaps, now that we’re all a little more settled, you could take her out a couple of times a week? It doesn’t have to be far, but if you want, I can leave the car and get a lift to the Warehouse with one of the others.”

Feeling coddled and irritable, HG pushed herself up so she was no longer leaning against the svelte agent but alert and determined beside her. “I must do something. Carrying on in this stupid fashion will not do. Our girl deserves better than to be constantly cooped up; an unknowing prisoner to her mother’s fears.”

“Helena, you’re being too hard on yourself.” Myka insisted gently.

“Am I?” HG’s unforgiving gaze turned on her lover, the intensity of her stare cautioning the American. “I knew she needed to socialise more and I ignored that knowledge because it suited me to keep her close. Tell me that that’s not being deliberately neglectful,” she spat in a clipped attitude.

Myka’s eyebrow rose at the sharp tone and she had to remind herself that her girlfriend was upset and the inventor’s ire was not necessarily directed at her. Still, her own emotions were all over the place lately and the last thing she needed was to get into a pointless argument. “You seem determined to berate yourself, Helena.” With a sigh, she stood up from the couch, kissed her girlfriend on the cheek to try and assuage some of her impending guilt, and made for the door. “Let me know when you want to talk sense.”

Realisation that her attitude was only making things worse stopped the inventor in her tracks. She felt the fight drain out of her and tears of frustration spring to her eyes. Deciding that some ‘reflection time’ (as she called it when Christina needed to cool off), was needed, HG retreated to her basement lab and reclined in her armchair.

She knew Myka had a point; she was blowing things out of proportion. The reason for her sudden temper, she realised some time later, was more to do with the fact that there were no more ‘outs’, no more excuses. Christina not only needed to socialise with people her own age, she was now cognizant that she wanted and enjoyed interacting with her peers.

Helena had to crush her fears once and for all. She dreaded to think what would happen if she didn’t.

* * * * *

Hearing Helena retreating forlornly to her lab, Myka sighed. Was she being too hard on her lover? It pained her to leave the other woman alone with her thoughts, but once the inventor was on her high horse, there was very little talking to her until she decided to come down.

Christina’s isolation concerned her too. She had planned to address the issue immediately after the New Year, when local kids clubs and attractions reopened, but Adelaide’s stay had increased the urgency of the situation.

Unsure of just how long she’d been lost in her thoughts, Myka suddenly became aware that she was being watched. She’d left the study door open so as not to discourage either Helena or Christina and the chair she’d chosen looked out on the front garden. It was only the weight of the tread that gave away her companion’s identity and she waited calmly while Helena decided whether to enter or not. When minutes passed with no further movement, toward or away, she decided to end the stalemate and turned her gaze on her pensive lover.

Half smiling, Myka left the cushy desk chair in favour of the plush loveseat in one corner of the room. “Are you going to darken the doorway with your cloud of gloom, or did you want to come in and enjoy the view with me?” She settled back into the cushions, her posture open as she invited the older woman to join her.

“I’m scared,” the inventor admitted, taking a step forward.

Myka nodded calmly. “I know.”

“I dislike it; I can’t help but feel irate,” HG added as her legs carried her closer to her partner’s comforting presence.

“It gets your dander up,” the brunette agreed with a gentle smirk, eliciting a reluctant smile from her girlfriend.

“Quite.” Helena slipped easily into the space that remained beside her lover and leant her head against the back, a hand rising automatically to caress the side of the face she could never get enough of. “What would I do without you?”

“That’s not a question you ever have to ask,” Myka insisted as she reached up to capture the exploring digits.

“You cannot promise that.” HG pulled her lover’s hand into her lap and dropped her head to study the intricate lines that criss-crossed the smooth curves. “A large part of me would wither away and die without you.”

“If you let it,” the field agent continued. At Helena’s frown, she hastened to explain, placing her unoccupied hand against her girlfriend’s chest, over her heart. “You could let my memory haunt you and pierce the part of you that holds your love for me, or you could use my memory to comfort you in hard times and inspire you to live instead.” She noted the sceptical expression gazing back at her and squeezed one of the hands holding hers. “It would not be easy Helena, not by miles, but wouldn’t it be preferable to the hellish darkness you lived in after losing Christina? If it were the other way round, would you want me to waste away while dwelling on regrets? Or to find comfort in the love we shared? I will be in here,” she tapped her index finger against Helena’s sternum for emphasis, “As long as you keep me here.

“Death is a part of life that we can’t avoid. It will come to us whether we fear it or not. I for one would like to look back and know that I made the most of our time together. If we spend all of our lives worrying about what might be, we will forget to appreciate what is.”

“You are much too wise for your years, my love.” HG watched a shaft of setting sunlight bounce off the natural auburn highlights in her girlfriend’s hair and instantly understood what the younger woman was trying to impart. Now all she had to do was embrace that wisdom. A task easier said than done, but not impossible. “I cannot imagine a world where you and Christina are not physically by my side, but trying to fight the natural order of things has never worked out very well for me in the past, has it?” She thought for a minute about her time with Adelaide, about how she had escorted the young girl to her self-defence classes, friends’ houses and school, and felt proud as she watched her surrogate daughter excel, learn and grow. She wanted those same things for Christina. There would be no more backtracking or letting doubt control their lives. Recalling a phrase that Claudia was rather fond of, HG decided that she would ‘fake it until she made it’. “Shall we look at that list of local clubs then, darling? I remember we were both rather fond of the Children’s Museum. What else is out there?”

Myka’s radiant smile lit up the room, tears of pride welling up as she gazed at the beautiful creature before her. There were days when she struggled with ‘what ifs’ too. In her line of work, it was difficult not to expect the unexpected, but when she considered the long, arduous period Helena had endured where nothing but the shadow of her sins and mistakes tormented her, she marvelled at the personal journey her lover travelled. A lesser person would have fallen and never bothered to get back up.

Mouths meeting in a languorous caress, breath shared and tasted, sighs of contentment swallowed; the couple melted into one another. Enveloped in each other’s embrace, the trials that lay on their shared path seemed to diminish, the road ahead painted in hues of hope and wonder with the rising dawn of a new chapter.

 


	16. Chapter 16

 “T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house...”

Christina struggled to keep her eyes open and stay alert as her mother’s voice drifted through her mind, treasured words bringing with them the promise of a magical day to come.

Christmas in the future wouldn’t be as she remembered it; there would be no Uncle Charles masquerading as Father Christmas (she had been five when she recognised his moustache peeking out from beneath Santa’s beard); no church service with Grandmother’s stern glance watching every twitch of her body; no songs around the piano while Grandfather hit the keys too hard and everyone sang out of tune, and no afternoon walk along the Thames to watch the ice-dancers and work off some of the traditional feast they’d consumed.

Three things remained the same – Mummy, snow and this story. As she finally stopped fighting her exhaustion and succumbed to her dreams of reindeer, sleds and presents, her mother’s voice softened through the last page of the book.

Stealthily extracting herself from the bed, placing the book on a shelf and then closing the door softly behind her, HG sighed. She was very aware that this would likely be the last time it was just the three of them preparing for the excited chaos of the much-anticipated celebration. A year from now, there would be a baby amongst them and their lives would never again be the same.

As she made her way downstairs, she smiled, picturing their new son or daughter rolling, shuffling or crawling across the rug while Christina laughed at their attempts to shoo him or her away from the pile of shiny gifts under the tree. She imagined her eldest child, still enthusiastic at nine years old, dressed from head to toe in the reindeer pyjamas she’d spotted in town, and her youngest enrobed as a rotund pudding. She heard Myka’s joyful laughter filling the air and saw the twinkle of love and contentment in those expressive green eyes.

It didn’t do her any good to spend too much time focussing on either the past or the future, but occasionally she indulged in a daydream or two without slipping into fears of her precious family meeting a tragic end.

Lost in her imaginings, she let her body work through its habitual tasks, hardly paying a mind to her surroundings so that it wasn’t until soon after she’d cleared the kitchen, that she realised her partner had been missing for almost an hour. While they often spent time in the house focussed on personal tasks, when Myka was at home, their evening routine consisted of the two of them clearing away evidence of the day’s toil and usually settling down in the library or living room to enjoy a couple of hours of peace. Tonight, the ex-Secret Service agent was conspicuous by her absence.

Testament to how far she’d come in her recovery, HG didn’t immediately panic. She finished drying her hands and turned out the kitchen light before wandering the downstairs, searching each room in turn for her elusive girlfriend. Once the ground floor was put to rest, her legs carried her upstairs to their bedroom, passed figures of busy elves and glittering pictures of children in snow.

The scene that greeted her was reminiscent of another night, now two months past. Candles littered the surfaces and rose petals decorated the bed, though in white rather than red, reminding her of the pure crispness of the first snowfall. From the radio came a soft tinkling of sleigh-bells and as she closed the door, she spotted a figure waiting for her in the warm semi-dark.

Reclined in a dark leather chair, patiently awaiting this moment, was her lover. HG’s hand pushed the door closed and slid the lock into place while she still had the ability to think clearly. Taking in the vision before her, she swallowed and felt a jolt of anticipation fly south.

“Myka...” her voice whispered her appreciation.

Decked in a heavy hooded robe of red velvet with a trim of plush white fur that looked so real, Helena instantly wanted to stroke it; Myka was a picture of sensual perfection. In her left hand, a scroll of parchment drifted toward the floor, while in her right sat a long, elegant quill, and on her nose, wire rimmed glasses completed the ensemble, offering the agent an authoritative look.

The inventor felt her knees weaken as her gaze travelled the length of the smooth skin emerging from the bottom of the robe, the long legs ending with bare feet.”Darling?”

Myka ignored the questioning tone and diverted her gaze to the scroll. She had been planning this little surprise ever since their brief talk about role-play in the bedroom. Seeing the desire in her lover’s eyes told her that her efforts were appreciated, as she’d hoped, but she hadn’t expected her own heightened arousal and she had to force herself to stay in character and not simply have Helena against the nearest flat surface.

“Helena George Wells... Helena. George. Wells,” she repeated with an expression of concentration as she consulted the parchment. “Ah, HG Wells, here we are. Tut-tut,” she shook her head slowly and gazed over her glasses at the woman who crept unconsciously toward her. “On the Naughty List I see.” Watching the spark of interest in those chocolate orbs ignite further, Myka cleared her throat and began rolling up the scroll to give herself a second to breathe. She felt her face flush and began to berate herself. _Damn it Myka, get it together. Take control._ With the tube of parchment, she reached out and halted the raven-haired beauty’s eager approach. “That’s quite close enough, Miss. Wells.”

Helena shifted from foot to foot, her fingers tingling with the effort to stay put. Knowing the reward for her patience would be well worth it, she reigned in her desire and began to play along. “And what, pray tell, have I done to warrant such censure?”

Her eyebrow rising, Myka adopted an expression of disapproval. With the end of the quill’s feather, she began to trace a path along the lapel of Helena’s loosely tied robe, eliciting an involuntary squeak from the Brit. “You stand accused of shamelessly embarrassing your partner in front of her relatives; corrupting a young girl in your destructive pursuit of science; denying your partner her favourite sugary snack, and mercilessly teasing her before she goes to work. How do you plead?” With each accusation, the American pushed her implement further passed the material, delighting in each gasp that followed her exploration. Still she kept her appearance formal, beginning to relax into her role now.

Shuddering at the feel of the feather against the thin material covering her skin, HG gazed heatedly at her lover through a haze of lust. Her heartbeat raced against her ribcage, the rhythm reminiscent of the pounding she anticipated from Myka’s touch within her. “Guilty,” she replied excitedly. Another day she would perhaps work harder at drawing out this little game; she was already picturing the taller woman as a lawyer or police officer, but today she was incapable of holding out for that long.

Feeling the thrill of her own anticipation throb harder, Myka dropped her props and crooked a finger at her girlfriend, beaconing her closer. Once Helena was in reach, her hands rose to grasp slim hips and she guided the other woman to straddle her lap. “Well, Miss. Wells. Since you appear contrite perhaps we can forego the coal this year and negotiate a different punishment.” She gazed up into mahogany depths that bore into her with equal parts love and desire. Swallowing again, she let her hands graze a sensual path from knees to thighs, fingertips pushing without hesitation passed the silken fabric of HG’s robe.

Helena’s hands cupped her lover’s face, fingers tightening spasmodically, her mouth open in a perpetual gasp as her knees pushed wantonly against the arms of the chair, desperate to invite the taller woman further in. Myka’s fingers met her short pyjama bottoms and she felt her eyes close automatically, her breath quickening with each passing second as her hips began to search for purchase. The tip of a thumb brushed over a cotton-clad bundle of nerves and she whimpered unselfconsciously.

The sound went off like a starting gun in the American’s mind and, through the thin silk, her head dipped forward to capture a straining nipple while her hands tugged at the material covering her ultimate prize. She pushed at Helena’s hips; making her rise to her knees so she could pull the small sleep shorts off, gaining her unencumbered access. Deft fingers made light work of the belt holding the lapels together and rapidly, each item of clothing pooled to the floor, leaving the Victorian flush with desire and open to her partner’s hungry gaze.

Forest green eyes drank in the delectable expanse of heated skin, her gaze excited and predatory. “Exquisite,” she breathed huskily.

“Myka,” the inventor keened, her acute need relinquishing her of the power to vocalise her will to be touched.

Glancing up at desire-darkened eyes, the younger woman smiled slyly at the sudden recognition of the control she wielded. Helena trusted her to take care of her, to bring her to heights of passion and catch her when she fell. It was a responsibility she took seriously, but in her own time. “I love that I can reduce the great HG Wells to nothing but incoherent babbling with just the touch of my hands.” For emphasis, she pulled her girlfriend’s hips forward and up, raising her heated centre closer to eye-level. With her eyes fixed on Helena’s, Myka used her thumbs to spread drenched petals and expose the well of nectar she desired to touch and taste.

Gaze falling to that pool of arousal, the tall brunette’s breath hitched and she felt her own intimate parts clench in empathy. Her head fell forward again, her mouth lighting on the sweat dampened curves of her love’s hips and belly. Lips and tongue explored the salty taste of Helena’s torso as one hand moved to support her lower back and the other inched closer to the Promised Land.

“Myka... ple...” HG’s hands tightened impossibly in her girlfriend’s hair, the hood on that curly mass having fallen back some time ago. Long fingers explored her in agonisingly slow strokes, pushing passed her folds and testing the waters, spreading her arousal over her labia and sending shocks through her system.

Needing to watch Helena come undone, Myka sat back against the now warm leather and teased her lover’s opening. A rose painted mouth sucked in short doses of air and released whimpers of impatience. She paused before the plunge, drawing a frustrated groan from the inventor. “Look at me,” she demanded gently.

Intensely dark depths opened to Myka’s forest green and she felt herself falling as she slid inside and claimed her wild beauty. Keeping her hand still and pulling Helena’s hips forward again, she encouraged her lover to set her own rhythm.

Rocking experimentally for several beats, the Brit soon found a pace and position she liked and leaned forward to rest her head against her partner’s as she felt Myka begin to match her, thrust for thrust. Having been on the edge of completion almost from the moment she stepped into the room, HG’s passion quickened until she was driving into Myka in short, hard bursts, her breath now hot and ragged in the agent’s ear.

 “Dear Heart,” Myka whispered into a shapely ear. “Let go,” she encouraged, feeling her girlfriend holding back at the peak of her release. She felt her own impending end looming on the brink and knew that she wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer either.

Gripping the back of the chair, Helena buried her head in her lover’s leonine neck and moaned loudly, shuddering through her orgasm, the absolute love and devotion in Myka’s tone pushing her over the edge. As the tremors gradually faded and her girlfriend’s hands left her intimate areas and wound around her body, anchoring her once more, HG relaxed, her breath slowing against Myka’s shoulder.

“Darling,” she murmured as she finally found strength to raise her head and meet her lover’s gaze. “You were marvellous.” Her hands returned to cupping the American’s face and, as if words alone could not express her feelings, she leant in for one chaste kiss then another, until there was barely a breath between them.

Myka groaned into each kiss, her desires building again with each stroke of Helena’s tongue. Her hands caressed the soft planes of her girlfriend’s back and shoulders, knowing just how to sooth and excite at different points. Eventually needing to breathe, she placed a series of light kisses against an elegant jaw and leant back into the chair. Their eyes met and danced with love and laughter. “Not bad for a first time, huh?” She asked, feeling a little smug and surer of herself now that the act was over.

Looking down at the costume her lover still wore, HG grinned. The belt had come loose during their lovemaking and now, between the white fur trims lay a path of flushed, sweat dampened skin. With one finger, she drew a line from collar to navel, stopping just short of dipping down any further. “My love, I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am, because I have several new scenarios in mind after tonight’s performance. You are a natural.”

Myka blushed. Sex was not something she had ever been very adventurous with. Even with Helena, though it was always enjoyable and particularly since renewing their relationship, satisfying, she had hesitated to experiment with something that, in her mind, was already perfect. Her plan for this evening had been to fulfil Helena’s desire to add spice to their routine. She had not expected to find the whole role-playing business so stimulating herself, having always thought that her needs were fairly simple. It was a pleasant surprise and she realised that she was more than willing to explore further. “Only with you. I love you.” She caressed the side of her girlfriend’s face, tracing round an expressive brow to the curve of a high cheekbone.

“As I do you.” HG kissed the wayward fingers as they passed over her lips and returned her gaze to the tantalising stretch of skin teasing her. It suddenly occurred to her that Myka was awfully calm where she should be begging to be touched. Alarm, that perhaps her lover hadn’t enjoyed their change of pace, quickly gave way to relief as she began to suspect that they had finished together and she’d simply been too occupied to notice. “Love, are you not in need of stimulation yourself? I’ve yet to touch you.” She exaggerated her disappointment and felt a renewed sense of pride as the American’s blush reappeared. “Or did you already...”

Looking slightly guilty, Myka lowered her eyes to their laps and shrugged, her sudden shyness intensifying under HG’s predatory gaze.

Smirking knowingly, Helena lowered her mouth to her partner’s ear and asked in a husky tone, “Did you spend without me, darling?” Grasping a nearby lobe between her teeth, she felt Myka nod and tremble. Releasing the tender flesh, she nibbled her way to two waiting lips and drew her girlfriend into a heated kiss. As she felt the other woman begin to squirm beneath her, she pulled away slightly, looking deeply into bright orbs. “May I have a taste?”

Myka swallowed hard as the blood suffusing her cheeks rushed to other more sensitive places. She nodded weakly and felt Helena begin a journey south with her tongue and lips, the last coherent thought in her head, a fervent wish for this to be their own Christmas Eve tradition in the making.

* * * * *

“Peter Lattimer, take your fingers out of my pie this instant!”

The crowd gathered in the living room froze in varying states of mid-action as HG’s indignant cry pierced the air. Immediately following, there were sniggers and eye rolls, each one of them with an eye on the door as a silent countdown began.

Bursting into the room moments later, the culprit in question made a beeline for his girlfriend and attempted to hide his bulky frame behind her decidedly smaller one. Myka, who had been in quiet conversation with Lila about her morning sickness, instinctively punched her friend’s arm and glared at him with mock seriousness.

“Why do you have your fingers in my girlfriend’s pie?” She demanded to know. Pete’s eyebrows shot up and his head tilted to one side in his Scooby Doo impression. She hit him again as Claudia sniggered and Lila pretended to be exasperated. “You know what I mean.”

Before agent Lattimer could respond, his accuser appeared in the doorway, fire in her eyes and brandishing a carving knife. “The first time I have a chance to actually enjoy cooking Christmas dinner for my family, and you insist on behaving like a starving street urchin! You, Peter are banned from the kitchen for the duration of this holiday.” She stormed back out of the room, leaving Myka and Christina to hide their amusement behind their hands.

“HG, come on! It smells so good!” Pete called after the inventor. When she didn’t immediately reappear, he huffed to himself. “I didn’t even get close to trying anything.”

“I think that’s probably a good thing, babe.” Lila soothed him as she wrapped an arm around his waist. “I’d hate to think what she could do with that knife.”

“You might need Little Pete if you ever decide to have any more children,” Myka murmured to the pair, careful to keep her comment from Christina’s sharp ears.

“Hmm,” Lila’s mouth turned down slightly as she considered the statement. “If there is a next time, I expect to be a part of the decision making and planning stages,” she levelled a hard state at Pete. It took her a week to come to terms with her condition after Pete tracked her down at her sister’s house and explained how Lila’s careful use of contraception had been useless against the power of an artefact. Having planned to go back to school to complete her degree in meteorology, she hadn’t anticipated motherhood for a few years yet.

Pete wasn’t exactly helping the situation with his childlike exuberance at the thought of being a father. He’d read more books than any of them so far (or he’d looked at the pictures) and was generally being a pain in the arse, spouting assimilated nuggets of information and advice wherever they went. Several times, Helena had spotted the thunder in her girlfriend’s eyes just before Myka smacked him and tried in vain to warn him. He seemed oblivious to the delicate balance of acceptance that both expectant women were maintaining, which she knew couldn’t be true; he was usually fairly intuitive. She surmised that he simply couldn’t contain his joy and was behaving accordingly.

Leaving Lila to deal with Pete, Myka rose from her chair and crossed the room to where an intense game of monopoly was transpiring. She pulled a chair up beside Christina and immediately began to stroke the girl’s hair. “Which one are you?” She whispered as she studied the game board.

“I’m the dog,” the eight year old replied, her focus intense as Claudia picked up the hat and moved passed Marylebone. Her shoulders sagged and eyes narrowed as the red head stuck out her tongue. Christina had all four stations.

Myka smiled to herself at the competitiveness between the two youngest of their group. Though her daughter had been missing out on time spent with children her own age, her relationship with Claudia came closer to that bond than anything else. Having lost a great deal of her own childhood after Joshua’s disappearance, the young techie slipped into the childish role with enthusiasm. She would play with dolls, argue about the colour of the sky, draw pictures of cute, fluffy animals and make potions in the bathroom sink when she thought no other adults were around.

Even though she bemoaned the loss of much of her favourite shampoo, most of the time, the lanky agent was content to leave the two girls to their mischief whenever she happened upon them in the middle of some game. She had fond memories herself of similar antics with Tracy, when they had gotten along for more than five minutes, and wanted Christina to enjoy those experiences too.

Away from the friendly cut-throat game, Helena and Steve were busy in the kitchen. After the chaos of their Thanksgiving meal, Myka had volunteered to take her share of the cooking, but her girlfriend insisted that she should be far away from the stress of the kitchen and tasked her with enjoying every moment of her first Christmas with their daughter. It was a debate that HG had eventually won in the bedroom three nights ago, leaving an exhausted and sated Myka in a state where she would have agreed to almost anything.

Secretly, the tall brunette knew that her girlfriend’s stubbornness stemmed from her desire to single-handedly provide the best for her family on this special day. It was more for Helena’s pride and her need to redeem her image than it was for her love of domesticity. Myka was content to let it slide this time, but did not intend to let the inventor take over every job in the house. She was sure there would be more lengthy debates on the subject at some point in the future.

Steve took over dishwashing duty as he escaped the noise and excitement in the living room. Holidays were always a little more challenging for him, especially seeing Claudia enjoying the simple fun of the season, much like his sister had. HG had taken one look at his expression when he entered the kitchen and pointed him to the sink without arguing that she could handle everything herself.

They worked quietly around one another, easy listening classics drifting from the radio to fill the comfortable silence. They all understood loss in their own way and each dealt with it differently; Steve and HG were introspective in that regard and took comfort in the simple feeling of having another knowing soul around.

The atmosphere around the table was electric as plates were handed round and everyone began to help themselves to the feast. Helena had outdone herself, her smug expression suggesting that she knew it too. Having managed to persuade Dr. Calder to join them again, the entire table was stretched to bursting with place settings for ten people. They were snug, with elbows occasionally bumping together and many apologies and cries of ‘that’s my glass’, but no one really complained and mistakes were laughed off with ease.

Sitting between Pete and Helena, Myka had a good view of the entire table and couldn’t help the radiant smile that lit up her features. Every time she took a moment to glance around and absorb the jolly atmosphere, she felt tears welling up behind her eyes and HG’s hand squeezing her thigh.

Leaning closer to her lover, the inventor whispered in her ear. “Are you alright, love?”

Myka turned and found concerned depths staring back at her. Stuck for words to describe the absolute joy she felt, the American simply dipped her head and kissed her girlfriend gently, her lips lingering in place for several beats before she closed her eyes and rested her head against Helena’s. A tug on her arm broke the contented moment and with a sigh, she withdrew. “I love you,” she whispered as she trailed a hand along the inventor’s leg and entwined their fingers. Turning to her right, she levelled a glare at Pete, her good mood shifting beneath her annoyance at having been interrupted. “What?”

“Erm,” he appeared taken aback by her tone, having missed the intimate moment between his best friend and her girlfriend. “I just wanted you to pass the pie.”

With an exaggerated huff, Myka reached for the plate that was just out of her friend’s reach and plonked it down in front of him. “There.”

“Er thanks.” He watched her carefully as he spooned out more than his fair share of the tray. “You ok, Mykes?”

Helena had returned her attention to Christina, who sat at the end of the table, and the brunette found herself softening at the picture of the two of them in deep discussion. “Yeah Pete, I’m fine.” She laid a hand on his arm and allowed her smile to reappear. “Don’t mind the crazy pregnant lady,” she added for his ears only.

“If only it were that easy,” he murmured back. His words suggested exasperation, but the brightness of his eyes betrayed his true feelings; he was loving every second of their changing family dynamic. “So, when do you plan on telling CJ that she’s gonna be a big sis?”

Swallowing a mouthful of roast potato, Myka glanced at her daughter and frowned slightly. “I’m not sure.” She pushed a piece of carrot through a diminishing blob of cranberry sauce as she considered the question. “I wanted to wait until we were sure that everything was fine. It’s a little early to be shouting it from the rooftops. I certainly don’t plan on telling anyone else until I’m showing; though I didn’t get much of a choice with you guys,” she grumbled.

“I get that. You’re always the cautious one. You know what Artie said in the beginning though; Inanna’s thralls have one hundred percent birth rate for the lucky ladies who get knocked up through her.” He waggled his eyebrows and his work-partner rolled hers.

“As far as the records we have tell us,” Myka reminded him firmly. “There are no guarantees and I’d rather not put Christina through that emotional upheaval if I don’t have to.” It was a topic she and Helena had discussed over and over without coming to an agreement yet. Part of her knew that she was stalling because she feared the eight year old’s reaction; what if she thought that they were trying to replace her? What if the girl got all excited about the idea and she miscarried? They couldn’t know what would happen and they would have to tell her eventually, but Myka still couldn’t bring herself to do it yet.

Dinner continued through a dessert of flaming Christmas pudding and brandy sauce, Pete, Claudia and Artie consuming the most as the rest of them pushed their plates away, feeling replete and gluttonous after three courses. Crackers snapped around the table; toys, puzzles, jokes and hats littering the remaining space between stacks of empty plates. Claudia left her seat briefly to force a paper crown onto Artie’s head, her fiery glare promising retribution if he dared to take it off, while Vanessa kissed his reddening cheek and reached up to straighten the amusing apparel.

With all hands on deck, they cleared the table and made some headway into sorting out the kitchen before en-mass, they followed Christina and HG’s insistence that they all take a stroll in the snow before dispersing to their separate abodes.

Dull, grey clouds sat heavily in the sky, waiting on the moment they could release their burden of crystallised water particles upon the land. The snow had been heavy and a blanket of white stretched before their eyes, disturbed where the plucky adventurer or two had trudged through it, and crisp and inviting where none had touched.

Pete pulled a red, plastic sled along behind him while Christina and Claudia took turns filling it with heaps of fresh snow, both chuckling as the bulky agent pretended to struggle with each new addition.

HG tested a ball of the white stuff between two gloved hands and smiled as the particles stuck together easily. “Not too soft,” she declared. She caught Myka’s amused glance and went on to elaborate. “I attempted to invent a snow machine once. When I eventually figured out how to form the particles correctly to make snowflakes, they were too soft and wouldn’t stick together. Another project caught my attention before I could begin to tweak it to my liking.”

The brunette shook her head with semi-disbelief; sometimes she forgot who her girlfriend really was. “You didn’t think it might have been useful for something other than making snow? Like chilling food? You could have invented the first freezer.”

They strolled a few metres behind the others now, caught up in their small bubble of happiness, though consciously they still kept a close eye on their daughter’s antics. Helena had chosen a pair of boots with slightly larger heels, so she was almost eye level as they followed arm in arm after their family and Myka found that she enjoyed the change; occasionally she despaired at being so tall. She felt compelled to protect where sometimes she wanted to be protected. She knew it was silly to think that way, but especially recently, it was a feeling that was out of her control.

“That would have been fairly dull,” HG turned her nose up at the mundane suggestion, winking at her partner to show that she meant no offence. “It was meant to be a gift for Christina; she always did love the snow and it never snowed as much in London as it did most other places in England. Despite what Mr. Dickens would have everyone believe.”

Smiling, Myka pulled her girlfriend closer. They continued to walk in a companionable silence for several minutes, both basking in the simple joy surrounding them until the brunette’s thoughts turned pensive again, as they were wont to do at times. “Have you thought any more about taking Christina back to London to visit?” The topic of their daughter’s varied understanding of time-travel came up sporadically and HG usually balked at the idea of discussing the details with her little girl, but with recent developments, including the inventor’s growing determination not to stunt the eight year old’s development, Myka thought she stood a chance of eliciting a real answer this time.

Helena sighed and gazed out into the distance as her mind wandered.

Several seconds passed as the taller agent began to wonder if she’d been wrong again. “I’m only asking now because unless we take her before I get too big to fly, it’ll be a couple of years I imagine before we’ll want to travel that far with an infant.”

“Yet another bump in the road that I’ve been avoiding,” HG ran gloved fingers through her raven hair in a familiar sign of distress before drawing a deeper breath and turning back to her girlfriend. “Much as you have been procrastinating on the topic of her impending siblinghood. We both have issues we wish to put off discussing, and I believe it was you who said that we shouldn’t spend all of our time concerned with what might be. Where is that wisdom now?”

Myka stiffened at the sharp tone. “We have barely known about this ourselves for more than a week.” She argued through a jaw clenched to hold back impending tears. “I will not build up her hopes or cause her distress when anything could happen at this early stage.”

Feeling her partner trying to pull away, HG held on tightly until the American gave up struggling and they continued to amble along in stark contrast to how they’d started out. Eyes filling with emotion and avoiding one another’s gaze, the couple struggled through the opposing compulsion to both break away and hold on tighter. Arms felt foreign to each other where usually they were as one and both were painfully aware of the awkward tension that now filled their bubble.

In the near distance, their family continued to enjoy the wintery atmosphere.

With a bulky sleeve, Myka tried surreptitiously to wipe away her tears but Helena caught the move. Guilt rising like a tide with the bile in her throat, the inventor willed away her fear-induced irritation and drew a calming breath. “Myka?” she tried, waiting several seconds after with no answer but a small sniffle. “Darling? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

The American nodded, still wiping away tears as she avoided eye contact. Halting their forward motion, HG brought them to a standstill and gently coaxed her girlfriend to face her. She placed two fingers under the brunette’s chin and encouraged green to meet brown.

For a brief moment Myka obeyed before breaking eye contact again and gazing up at the sky. “Stupid hormones,” she muttered as she wiped again at her cheeks.

Helena smiled in sympathy. “Yes, I vaguely recall how much of a nuisance they can be.” She pulled the end of a pullover sleeve from the cuff of her coat and joined in the attempt to dry her girlfriend’s moist face. “Darling, are you really so afraid that something will happen to our baby?”

Shrugging, Myka fought back a second wave of emotion. “I just... I forget sometimes, and then... I remember, and I just feel... vulnerable.” She finally met Helena’s gaze again of her own accord and sighed. “I didn’t ask for this, and I can’t say that I ever would have asked for this, but now that I have this fragile, precious thing in my body, I think about how easily I could lose it.”

“I’m sorry to tell you, love, but even after they’re born, that feeling never truly goes away. You will learn to live with it though and you won’t always be riddled with gestational hormones that compound the feeling.” Helena glanced at their friends who were quite happily building with the snow. “We’re both concerned with causing Christina unnecessary distress. We can wait a couple of weeks, if you would prefer not to tell her about the baby now. I do understand why you don’t want her to know yet.” Tucking her arm back around Myka’s, HG pulled them onto the path again. “As for London...”

“She’s been asking when we’ll visit,” Myka prodded gently. “I only thought it would be easier to help her and listen to her, if she _was_ upset in any way, without a screaming baby taking up most of our attention.”

“I suppose it has to be, since you put it that way,” Helena sighed in defeat. She really wasn’t looking forward to taking her daughter back to their routes. She had many fond memories of the city she grew up in, but their home was with Myka now and she didn’t want to cause any sense of conflict between their past lives and their present or future. “You won’t want to fly during your first trimester, believe me. Travel sickness and morning sickness are not a pleasant combination. Though I think an aeroplane would be preferable to a boat.”

* * * * *

Returning to the living room after what felt like her tenth trip to the toilet, Myka smiled at mother and daughter curled up on the rug in front of the fire, both wrapped snugly in Christmas themed pyjamas and slippers. Helena glanced up before long, the smile that lit up her features making the taller agent’s breath catch in her throat. Their disagreements, which were usually debated with stubbornness and logic, had become a much tearier affair of late. Agent Bering detested the fact that even the slightest provocation by her lover reduced her to a whimpering wreck, but it couldn’t be helped. She would simply have to tough it out and hope for some sense of normalcy to return to her body once she was no longer playing incubator for another life.

With soft steps and hands hiding a surprise gift behind her back, Myka approached her girls and knelt down beside them. Helena narrowed her eyes suspiciously as Christina finally noticed her presence and beamed at her.

The young girl was quick to spot the odd angle of her Mama’s arms and cocked her head to one side curiously. “Mama. What do you have behind your back?” She asked, her excitement building.

Myka leant forward and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Something I picked up from my old room when I went to visit my parents in Colorado.” With a practised move, she revealed the decorative wooden box that she’d had hidden under the stairs for weeks. “It’s not really a gift, as such, but I wanted to share some of my treasures with you and, possibly return something to your mother.” She felt her anticipation build as her girlfriend’s curiosity matched their daughter’s. Carefully, she opened the box and smiled as both Wells women leant forward to peek inside.

“Ooh, Mama they’re pretty,” the eight year old exclaimed. “May I touch them?”

As Christina’s arm automatically reached toward the box, HG’s gently pulled it back. “Myka, what are these treasures of yours? They look very fine, but otherwise entirely normal everyday objects. Are they...?” She had a very odd feeling as she looked down at the contents of the box and couldn’t place her sudden concern.

Laid out on a bed of faded blue velvet was a pair of cufflinks, the nib of a quill, a brooch in the shape of a swan, a scrap of thick, yellowed parchment, two monocles, a silver hair clip with inlaid amethysts and several other regular looking trinkets. They were all obviously old though and experience made the time-traveller cautious.

“They’re safe Helena. I had Artie and Leena test them all out at the Warehouse, including the box. They kept a penknife because Leena said it was being moody, but that’s all. It was supposed to have belonged to Shakespeare, which he reportedly used to sharpen his quills.” The brunette appeared momentarily disappointed at the loss but quickly shook it off. “I collected all of these things for similar reasons; because they supposedly belonged to some important historical figure, but I think most of them are probably just pretty objects like you said. However, I had hoped that one might be familiar to you...” From a small compartment hidden on the side of the box, Myka pulled out a bundle wrapped in a green, silk ribbon. She handed it to her girlfriend and waited.

Helena felt a tingle of something powerful pass through her and she shot her partner another wary glance. “Are you sure they tested everything thoroughly?”

Myka nodded. “There were some questions about this... set,” she admitted. “But Mrs. Fredrick said that it belonged to you and that it was yours to use as you saw fit. I wouldn’t have brought any of this within a mile of you both if I wasn’t sure.”

Christina bounced on her knees now. “Open it Mummy, I want to see.”

Both adults rolled their eyes at their daughter and chucked at her enthusiasm. “Well then. Let’s see what we have here.” As the layers of silk fell away, HG gasped. Beneath the material lay a matching pair of gold rings, one nestled like a complimenting puzzle piece against the other. “These are...”

Buoyed by the shock on the inventor’s face, Myka had to know what her lover was thinking. “Do you recognise them?” she asked eagerly.

HG glanced up at bright eyes, then quickly returned her focus to the objects lying in her palm. “They were my grandmother’s,” she whispered in awe. “My grandfather had them specially made for her. How... how did you find these? They would have cost a fortune to buy.”

With a smug grin, Myka closed the box and placed it on the floor. “My dad used to let me follow him to pawn shops, usually while mom and Tracy were off shopping for clothes, and sometimes he’d let me use my allowance to buy trinkets and things that took my fancy.”

“And he let you buy these?” Helena asked incredulously.

Myka chuckled. “No. My allowance wouldn’t have stretched to something like this.”

“How did you buy them then Mama?” Christina added to the inquiries, cuddling up to the brunette’s side and feeling herself pulled into this story too.

“I actually didn’t know I’d bought them,” Myka continued to flesh out the mystery. “I was fourteen, wandering around a shop in Boston, browsing the shelves while my dad negotiated with the owner for a stack of Emily Dickinson’s early editions. There were a lot of things that claimed to have origins in Europe. Things that people sold or traded the moment they stepped off the docks from wherever they’d travelled. I didn’t take any notice most of the time; I trusted my gut.”

Relaxing against one arm, Helena watched her daughter’s immersion in Myka’s recitation and felt a warm glow infuse her body. The rings burned against her palm. Not unpleasantly, but as if they were trying to get her attention.

Her grandmother’s rings. They had been promised to a young Helena Wells so long ago, only to be lost to the ether when the stubborn old woman had finally relented to the reaper and passed on, leaving her scavenger-like relatives to pick apart her possessions. How on Earth had they landed in the hands of her One? Was it coincidence or fate? While her heart and head tugged over logic and romanticism, her gut led her in another direction.

Hadn’t she been plagued with tempting imaginings on how to ask Myka for a more permanent affiliation? Didn’t her wandering thoughts take her to the alter with her beloved? Coincidence or fate; what did it matter when the one she loved sat before her and the means to procure her hand had fallen into her possession? HG felt her gut twist with a sudden bought of nerves as she made her choice, her hand tightening slightly around the precious metal as, for now, she continued to listen to the story.

“I hadn’t been long in the shop, when I felt compelled to venture down to the basement,” Myka continued, gazing at Christina and missing the change in her girlfriend’s expression. “Normally I wouldn’t have been a fan of the dark and I was conscious of what my dad would say if I wandered off, but I had to go.”

Bright eyes stared up at her in awe and Myka was suddenly very aware that she was telling her daughter a story of a young girl walking off without her parents. “Was it scary?”

“No. Not really.” The American admitted reluctantly and then hastened to explain. “I felt protected. Like an invisible force was guiding my hand and promising that I would return safely. I would never have left my dad’s side otherwise. You know you’re never to wander off on your own don’t you Sweetheart? I was much older than you are now and I never actually left the shop we were in.”

“I know Mama,” bright eyes softened in understanding, excitement tempering under her parent’s concern. “Finish the story?” She pleaded gently.

“Alright,” Myka smiled indulgently. “I eventually meandered my way to a small puzzle box and without even thinking, I grabbed it and took it back upstairs.”

“Were the rings inside the puzzle box?”

Myka leant closer to the eight year old, her gaze intense as she enjoyed the effect her words were having on the youngster. “Yes, but I didn’t know it then, and the negotiations for the books hadn’t gone well. My dad wouldn’t stay long enough to let me haggle for the box, so I had to leave it behind.”

Christina’s gasp brought a smile to both of her mothers’ faces and they chuckled as she covered her mouth in anticipation of some terrible twist in the plot. “But then how did you get it?”

“I begged my mother for three days straight to let me return to the shop. On the penultimate day of our vacation, she finally gave in and pushed me out the door, telling me to ‘be back before your father or there’ll be hell to pay’.” Myka’s imitation of her mother’s nervous tone made them all chuckle. “I ran back to the shop with all the money I had with me and begged the shop keeper to let me have the box. I wasn’t very clever there; I’m sure I paid more for a puzzle box than it alone was worth, but considering what I found when I finally cracked it, well I knew it’d been worth it then.” She looked over to her girlfriend and they shared a moment of simply staring and smiling.

“So how did you know to give them to me?” HG asked once the brief spell broke.

“While the owner was trying to bump up the price, he told me that it had belonged to HG Wells’ family and that it’d passed to a cousin of ‘his’ after ‘his’ paternal grandmother passed away.” A conspiratorial glance passed between them before Myka continued. “I suppose that part of the story was right. I guess your grandmother hid the rings inside before she died.”

“Humf, sharp old bat that she was,” HG muttered.

“Mummy! That’s not very nice,” Christina scolded her mother, making the elder Wells chuckle.

“I didn’t mean any harm by it, love. Your great grandmother and I got along very well. My mother despaired at the two of us. She was constantly grumbling, saying ‘Eleanor, she’ll never grow into a respectable young lady if you keep filling her head full on nonsense’.” It was Myka’s turn now to listen with fascination. She loved her girlfriend’s stories from her youth; it was like her own private link to a time long passed. “Grandma Norie never paid her any mind though and kept me apprised of all the latest news from parliament or new developments in the world of science and nature. She wasn’t devout like my mother. She was actually a big Darwin supporter and encouraged me to read all about his exploits.”

Glancing down at her hand again, the inventor’s mouth turned up in a fond sign of nostalgia. Her dear Norie had whispered to her once that the rings were forged with love, for love; they were intended for one’s soul mate, which was why they should have been passed on to her. Norie had known that Helena would not marry unless it was for love. Now, by some miracle, her intended had found the rings that would bind them for eternity. It was time.

“It is wonderful to finally have these in my possession but...” She paused for effect and winked confidently at her daughter. “I believe they are intended for another now.”

Christina’s face was still for a beat before understanding lit up her features and she nodded enthusiastically at her mother.

Turning back to the suddenly confused agent, Helena fixed her girlfriend with a determined look. “Darling, will you stand up please?”

Myka froze, her mouth becoming dry as she too realised what the inventor had planned. “I don’t think I can,” she whispered hoarsely.

Christina jumped to her feet and offered her Mama a hand. The agent took it automatically; almost oblivious to her surroundings as her eyes stayed fixed on the elder Victorian and her every move. Once she was standing, the young girl leapt across the room and perched on the edge of the couch where she felt she had the best view.

Keeping eye contact with her lover, Helena repositioned herself so she knelt on one knee and took one of Myka’s trembling hands in her own, smiling as a gasp escaped from the taller agent.

“Helena...” the brunette’s weak voice sounded between them.

“Hush now darling,” the inventor chided playfully. “It’s my turn.” She watched her girlfriend swallow hard and nod, and heard Christina giggle. When all was calm again, HG took a steadying breath of her own.

This day would stay with them always. Though certain of Myka’s reply, what she did and said here and now marked a pivotal moment in their lives. She had practised many ways to ‘pop the question’, some of her inner monologues taking up far too much time. This wasn’t the place she had envisioned for a romantic and memorable proposal, but it was personal and spontaneous, and perfect in its own way. No matter what she said, the sentiments would be felt in a thousand different ways, through every day of their lives together.

“Myka,” she began, the tightness in her chest easing as her American goddess finally overcame her nerves and smiled. “You are my love. My life... Will you be my wife?” She saw fond exasperation cross those green orbs and fell in love all over again as her partner’s uninhibited laughter filled the room and dispersed any lingering anxiety.

“Did you just propose to me in rhyme?” A cocky smirk met Myka’s mirth and she shook her head. “You’re terrible. I thought you were a writer,” she teased.

“Charles was the writer. I never made that claim,” her grin widened and an all too familiar glint darkened her eyes. “My talents lie elsewhere.”

Blushing at the memory of Helena putting some of those other talents to use, Myka found her mind wandering, her thoughts getting lost in those mahogany eyes.

“Mama!”

Christina’s impatient cry snapped them out of their trance, the brunette blushing again, accompanied by a sharp ‘oh!’ that made them all chuckle.

Gazing up into features that were happier than she’d ever seen them, Helena’s own expression softened. “Do you have an answer for me, love?”

The taller agent nodded, no hesitation in her voice as she gave her reply. “Yes.” Pulling the time-traveller to her feet, Myka held her beloved’s face between her palms and kissed her soundly. “Most emphatically, yes.” She allowed Helena to take her hand and slide one-half of the pair of rings onto her finger, only mildly surprised when it fit as if it had been made for her. She then tunnelled her fingers into raven hair and pulled the inventor into a longer kiss, tongues tangling in a slow dance as strong arms wound around her waist.

As her parent’s gradually began to come up for air, Christina bounced up from her perch and ran over to embrace them, looking up with bright, excited eyes. “I want to be the flower girl... No! A bride’s maid... No! A flower girl!”

Barely aware that she was smiling so much her cheeks hurt, Myka temporarily released her new fiancée and gathered their daughter into a crushing hug. “You can be both, if you want to.” Keeping her arm around the young girl, she couldn’t stop her gaze wandering back to her partner... Lover... Wife to be. She watched a slender thumb reach up to gather a tear from her cheek and found that she really didn’t care if she was crying again. She had never been so happy in all her life.

In a tangled web of arms, they eventually found their way over to the couch and curled up to bask in the feelings of utter contentment. Christina lay half sprawled over Myka’s lap, while the agent reclined against Helena’s front, her fingers playing unconsciously with her ring and occasionally turning her head to meet a heated gaze and equally warm lips.

Both women silently agreed to let their daughter carry the discussion about dresses and dances, each contributing their fair share while having their own conversation that simply said, ‘I love you’ and ‘I know. I love you too’. This way they stayed, until tired yawns punctuated the eight year old’s every other word and HG carried the exhausted child up to bed.

Even beneath the sheets, words were not needed to convey what eyes, hands, lips and tongues could, and with each blissful release, they strengthened the foundation of a bond none but themselves could break.


End file.
